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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28242429">That Time I Got Reincarnated in Re:Zero</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigrororo/pseuds/bigrororo'>bigrororo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 | Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World (Anime), 転生したらスライムだった件 - 伏瀬 | Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken | Regarding Reincarnated to Slime - Fuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Battle, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Falling In Love, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Novel, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Return by Death (Re:Zero), Self-Harm, Smoking, Spoilers, Trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:48:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>65,527</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28242429</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigrororo/pseuds/bigrororo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Jura Tempest faces an unexpected attack. Haru, the third named goblin subordinate of the King of Monsters himself Rimuru Tempest, finds himself in a familiar situation. He meets the familiar cast of the novel he's read in the past. He didn't owe them anything, but now they owed him everything.</p><p>This was Haru's First day in the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. In a New Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! this fanfic is being uploaded on Fanfic.net and Wattpad too so you could read it there if you want! and i'd love if you could list down the points I can improve on! I plan to continue this series and make my own ending, and also create it's own versions of the IF stories!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p><em><b>Arc 1: Straight Out of the Book</b> </em> <b></b><b></b></p><p>???: "to be honest, I've been wanting to test out my strength too" the boy declared, with his mouth curving into a creepy smile as he glared at the group</p><p>He reached for his sword attached to his back, preparing to battle the horned woman in front of them. With his comrade stepping up beside him, raising his fists. Instantly it gets engulfed in menacing energy, alarming the several citizens and guards around.</p><p>Noticing this, the kingdom's defenders prepared for battle. The boy reached out for his katana, using his own strength to kick up from the ground to attack the two strange invaders. Suddenly, a dark sinister cloud blinded him. He tried to shake off the strange feeling. Raising his hands towards his eyes as he began to rub off what he thought was blinding magic. His eyes began to open slowly, only for him to find himself surrounded by unknown and unfamiliar faces. Carriages being pulled by creatures who chillingly resembled the multiple subordinate Lizardmen of Tempest. The noise of its wheels easily overpowering the sound of the crowd around him.</p><p>???: "what... w...WHAT THE HEEELLL!?" he exclaimed,</p><p>The boy shouted so loud that the people nearby gave him strange looks, almost confusing him for a lunatic. He began to panic frantically, with every possible question racing through his head. How did he get there? Was it magic? Did he get teleported? Where is everyone? He didn't know the answer to any of his questions. The only thing he was sure of was that he wasn't at Tempest anymore. The buildings looked different, the new place felt more crowded and noisy. And obviously, he didn't recognize anyone.</p><p>???: "Se... seriously? this isn't Tempest... so did I die...? or something.." he contemplated.</p><p>He easily understood that he possibly could have died during that battle. It wasn't a peculiar thought. After all, this wouldn't be the first time he has died. The first time must have been when he was around 13-14, although his memory of what truly happened during that time was blurry. He concluded that he died in a car accident. That was how people get brought to a new world, right?</p><p>It surprised him when he suddenly woke up in a strange body with only fragments of his past self left behind. A green, small malnourished body. Sharp teeth and bizarre greyish-white hair. Those around him were in similar cases too, he then found out he was reincarnated in the body of a goblin. The weakest class of monsters there was. The only thing that made up for their pitiful conditions were their numbers. They attack in groups to make up for their lack of individual strength. Unable to create their own gears and protection, they would resort to looting broken gear from their deceased enemies, or from scavenging an abandoned battlefield.</p><p>Their tribe struggled with its defense, but when faced with great danger other tribes would come to help. Sadly, death was so common that they were asked to reproduce as much as possible to maintain their population.</p><p>That was until a blue slime came to their rescue. He prevented the clan of wolves from eradicating them, saved their dying warriors, and nursed them back to health. He taught them how to fight and brought peace among the two rival classes.</p><p> It's been 2 years since that day and that young goblin boy was now 16. The blue-slime was no other than Rimuru Tempest. They pledged their loyalty to serve him in return for everything he has done for them. Together, their small tribe began to grow.</p><p>Even gaining attention from other monster tribes as they began to join them in their journey to create a powerful human-friendly kingdom. All of that nation's citizens were personally named by Rimuru, and the young boy was given the name 'Haru'. </p><p>Since then, he's been training along with his friends as their kingdom's <em>'Goblin Riders'</em> and was even trained by the Sword-Saint Hakurou, a class of ogres who evolved into kijins upon being given a name.</p><p>But Haru didn't expect to end up here, <em>'Seriously? I wanna start crying but it would cause unnecessary attention, so I'll at least hold it in until I was alone'</em> he thought to himself.</p><p>He took a deep breath in to relieve himself before pulling down his hood to cover his face as he began to stroll through the streets of this new place. He walked, taking in the new environment as he started to compare it to Tempest's design. This place was surely bigger and more populated. But he still considered his kingdom to be better.</p><p>Haru: "This place looks old, I mean really old. Even Tempest looked better than this in its early development" he complained,</p><p>Stopping in his tracks, he stared at the paved roads that the Lizard creatures ran on,</p><p>Haru: "this looks like abuse.." he says as he observed the busy streets,</p><p>As he strolled through the crowd, a loud horrifying scream echoed through the street. his attention drifted towards the source to find a fallen kid in the middle of the road, with a carriage heading directly toward the kid.</p><p>Unlike what many other generic heroes would do, Haru stood still and just watched in amusement at the knight who quickly rescued the kid from danger. The nearby citizens quickly applauded the man for his heroic deed,<em>' imagine being crushed by Gabiru... isn't that pitiful? Glad she's okay I guess'</em> he sighed,</p><p>He continued to list down his likes and dislikes before stumbling in front of a small fruit vendor,</p><p>Haru: "I... I can't read anything. What even is this?" he asked</p><p>'<em>I know what he's selling but... what's with all the scribbles? and why do they have to make their writing so complicated? jeez this is such a pain' </em>he internally said</p><p>Red apples lined up on the rack, easily recognizable since he loved anything apple-related. Be it apple pie, apple juice, or apple slices on their own. Yet the sign that would tell customers about its price was completely incomprehensible. Squinting his eyes to see if he could possibly make out the foreign letters but only realized that it was nothing like his homeland's writing.</p><p>With a disappointed sigh, he turned away and continued his walk. While walking he attempted to summon his Tempest Wolf. He went to a small dark alley and used the telepathic link that bound the two, he closed his eyes and called out to his companion,</p><p>Haru: "huh...? that's weird... why can't I summon him?" he wondered, his eyes widened in confusion.</p><p>'<em>This can't get any worse! I'm alone in a foreign kingdom with no money and I don't know how to read! How cruel can this world get?! Aurgh... I'm seriously going to cry!"</em> negative thoughts filled his mind as he leaned against the building's wall and let his body slide down. Bringing his arms up as he buried his face into his arms.</p><p>Haru: "I'm so fucked, this is so crappy." he said</p><p>'<em>Jeez, I remember reading a novel about a guy who got teleported into a new world, Rimuru-sama even told us about that story and printed a copy out of his magic. what was it called again? Re: life? Wait no... Re: Zero? Yeah, that! I feel bad for the main character to be honest. For an isekai character, he's living total shit.' </em>he thought,</p><p>Haru: "I feel my eyes burning, crap I'm gonna cry," he said while raising his head up.</p><p>He raised his hands to wipe his eyes, but something caught his attention. A glimpse of his arm peeked through his cloak and to his surprise, "wait.. no way.. I'm not green?!" he exclaimed</p><p>He raised his hands and he realized he had normal hands, human hands. Does being reincarnated change your appearance that drastically? If he thought about it, it could be compared to his master's Transformation Magic, so perhaps he had acquired it?</p><p>He quickly stood up from the ground and searched his body,</p><p>Haru: " cloak... sword... potions, hmm..so I didn't lose any of my stuff, so I did get teleported!" he pondered</p><p>He was really confused, it was the fact that he still had his clothes and equipment from before made it clear that this wasn't a reincarnation. Bu the fact that he no longer resembled his old goblin self disturbed him, but left with no other choice he concluded that the enemy teleported him to a nearby kingdom,</p><p>Haru: "augh.. Then how do I get back to Tempest?" he asked himself,</p><p>With a deep breath, he quickly chanted <b>Spatial Magic</b>. Taking a few steps forward to further enhance the skill, he forcefully shut his eyes and prayed that when he opened them back up he would be back in his hometown,</p><p>Haru: "..eh?" he muttered,</p><p>Shockingly, depressingly, he was still there. <em>'..crap'</em> he cursed. Feeling overwhelmed with the situation he began to mutter and chant <b>Spatial Magic</b> in hopes that a miracle would allow the skill to activate, until-</p><p>???: "Hey! who're you talkin' to weirdo?"</p><p>A voice resonated from the end of the dark alley. He turned his head and his eyes shifted toward the silhouettes of three figures who slowly walked toward him,</p><p>???: "what is this guy rambling about?"</p><p>???: "dunno, but if ya don't want t'suffer then give 's all your money!" the two said,</p><p>'<em>suffer..?'</em></p><p>From the shadows of the alley, out came the three men. One man with a large body, with purple hair and eyes. Wearing tan clothes, an orange sash around his waist, and a green vest. A slim man with an unusual white complexion and dark eyes, with grayish blue hair with pink ends. Wearing a prison suit with chains wrapped around his neck and wrists. Finally, a very small guy with a brown bowl cut similar to a mushroom and big black eyes, wearing a pink cloak.</p><p>
  <em>'fuck...they seem familiar... Aren't these..!"</em>
</p><p>???: "I'm kinda pissed off, so give us your stuff!" The buff man said while cracking his knuckles, and keeping his eyes on the long katana attached to the boy's side,</p><p>Haru: "hey wait a sec-"</p><p>???: "yeah! give it right now if you don't wanna be killed!" the smallest guy with mushroom hair added while tugging on his friend with chains,</p><p>It was idiotic that the three thugs would steal a sword and proceed to threaten an armed boy, incredibly idiotic. So idiotic it was pitiful, Haru straightened his back and glared at the three men with the meanest look he could muster</p><p>Haru: "hey, can't you rob someone else? I'm kind of having a moment here, I'll kick your ass if you don't leave," he said in a deep and threatening voice</p><p>Hearing this, the largest of the three smirked and said,</p><p>???: "oh, we got threatened instead. I was a little taken aback," he says</p><p>?: "just a'lil," the slim man said,</p><p>?: "really, just a little bit," the mushroom head added,</p><p>The three men didn't even consider the chance to flee that the boy gave them. He secretly pitied the three,</p><p>Haru: "you guys are really stupid" he sighed,</p><p>???: "Ha! You think we'd be screwed over by a puny kid?" he teased while stepping forward,</p><p>???: "Show him Ton!" the mushroom-head cheered. </p><p>Then, the largest of the three 'Ton' lunged at Haru at considerable speeds. Using his mana to power up different parts of his body as he shortened the distance between the two. The magic that the large man used reminded him of the skill that one of the troublemakers had just before he got teleported into this new place,</p><p>Haru: "seriously..? how could you be so stupid...It's not my fault if you get hurt, you deserve it." he sighed,</p><p>To assist the man, Haru ran forward to shorten the distance some more. He eluded the mana enhanced punch and dropped to the ground at knee level, extending his right leg before kicking Ton to the ground. He quickly stood up and delivered a sharp hit to his neck. Rendering him unconscious,</p><p>Haru: "okay, can you leave me alone now?" he calmly asked the two</p><p>The two were shocked at how quickly the 'puny kid' dealt with the man. The exchange of hits took no longer than 10 seconds, but this wasn't enough to stop them,</p><p>???: "Tsk! like hell we will! Let's go Kan!"</p><p>???: "Go! Quick Chin!" he yelled,</p><p>Haru: "seriously how stupid are you..?"</p><p>The slim man 'Chin' went next. Pulling out his dual blades and spinning it on both of his hands as he ran forward. He stuck out his tongue and his saliva sprayed to the floor, he extended his right arm to cut the boy. Followed by his left, but it was easily dodged as he saw through his attacks immediately.</p><p>Chin: "Gaa! Come on!" he exclaimed,</p><p>Haru: "don't tell me you're tired already?" he asked</p><p>To create distance, Haru flipped back to where he first stood. Chin gets infuriated by this. He tightened his grip on one of his knives, pulling it back behind his head before throwing it at the boy aiming for his head,</p><p>Chin: "Haah!" he exclaimed,</p><p>Chin dashed forward once more as he slashed at the boy </p><p>In a split of a second, everything became a blur. The knife he tossed disappeared along with its target. In reality, Haru used his own speed and skill to evade the knife. Just before it missed him, he grabbed it by its handle and threw it towards Kan who stood behind Chin.</p><p>Using <strong>Shadow Step</strong> he quickly sunk into the building's shadow and disappeared.</p><p>Chin: "Huh?!" he exclaimed</p><p>Kan: "hey! Chin behind yo- Ghaagh!" His warning was cut short as the handle of the Knife plunged into his stomach. Making him gasp for a breath as saliva sprayed out of his mouth. before. Allowing his body to fall, he dropped to the ground while holding his stomach to ease the pain.</p><p>'y-yikes... I didn't want to kill you, I just wanted to make you pass out! crap, I went too far...<em>'</em> He worried</p><p>Shaking off the possibility that he could have killed the mushroom head, he swallowed his breath and shifted his eyes back on the remaining man,</p><p>Haru: "now, you next."</p><p>Emerging from the man's own shadow, the boy appeared behind Chin. His body stiffened up in shock hearing the cold whisper behind his neck. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he felt the immediate change in atmosphere. Forcing his body to turn, he searched every part of his body, but he remained rigid. Haru took this opportunity and did a roundhouse kick to his head making him fall to the ground. He glanced at the man's face and...</p><p>Haru: "...you're hideous!" he exclaimed</p><p>His face was devastating, his tongue was out and his jaw was locked. His eyes were narrowed and he swore that Chin's eyebrows were pointing in two different directions,</p><p>'<em>How could someone be this ugly?' </em>he thought to himself, perhaps he would never know why.</p><p>???: "You handled that well, I'm impressed."</p><p>When he thought the trouble was over, another voice resonated from the lit up portion of the alley. Contemplating whether he should face the source or not. He pulled more of his hood down to cover his face and stretched his back. Quickly shifting his gaze around before making eye contact with <em>him</em></p><p>A tall handsome young man, with bright blue eyes, and bright flaming red hair. The first person that came into the young boy's mind was Benimaru. Who shared the same features as he did except Benimaru's eyes were deep crimson. The young man wore a wonderfully made white uniform that was different from what the knights from the Armed Nation of Dwargon wore, but anyone would know just by glancing that he really was a knight,</p><p>'<em>but compared to my clothes crafted with Hellmoth threads by the beautiful princess Shuna. his clothes weren't all that great.'</em></p><p>Haru: "Benimaru..?" he muttered</p><p>Reinhard: "I get that your name is Benimaru then?" the red-haired knight asked.</p><p>Haru: "o-oh no, sorry you just resembled someone I knew, but I'm Haru... Tempest." he corrected</p><p>'<em>Crap, I panicked so much I ended up using my master's last name! Why didn't I have one?! Please forgive me, Rimuru-sama'</em></p><p>Hiding the anxiety the young boy was feeling, he straightened his back and faced the man.</p><p>Reinhard: "My mistake, Haru. My name is Reinhard van Astrea, it is a pleasure to meet you." the knight introduced himself,</p><p>'<em>van Astrea? van... Astrea...? Astr- ... y-you mean from that novel?! No, No, No, NO this has to be some kind of cruel joke! Or coincidence?! Out of all the novels and mangas that exist I get taken here?! HOW FUCKING CRUEL, WHY ME?"</em></p><p>Haru: " I-It is a pleasure to meet you too, Reinhard-san" He replied while exchanging smiles with the knight.</p><p>But in reality, his eyes were just about to bawl up underneath his hood. He was thankful he had one,</p><p>Reinhard: "Luckily, you seem fine. Are you injured?" he asked,</p><p>The young boy began to pat around his body, looking for any wounds he could have gotten during the small fight. When he realized he didn't have any, he shook his head,</p><p>Reinhard: "it was three against one, I'm surprised you handled it well. If I were in your position, I doubt it would have been possible" he commented,</p><p>Reinhard had such a humble and friendly attitude. He radiated warmth and a comforting presence that eased a bit of his urge to cry.</p><p>'<em>Isn't he the... sword saint? He's like Hakurou-sama then, W-wow that's way too humble..'</em></p><p>Reinhard: "Haru, the way you handled the thugs were very unique. For most people going against a group of three would be too risky. It would be great if you thought about joining the Royal Army." he suggests,</p><p>Haru: "oh I'm part of ..."</p><p>Before he could continue his sentence, he remembered that he was a 'monster'. Revealing what he truly was and where he worked would be risky,</p><p>Haru: "r-right.. I'll think about it I guess, I'm j-just 16 though" he replied,</p><p>Reinhard: "sixteen you say? You're old enough to join, I'd be happy to introduce you if you'd like." he replied joyfully</p><p>'<em>He's so charming... But why is he so consistent in making me part of this kingdom's military force?!'</em></p><p>Haru: "oh.. then that's great? But how'd you find me? There weren't a lot of people in this area.."</p><p>Reinhard: "That's true, but I sensed magic around the area so I went to investigate. After following it I arrived here, right after you knocked out the.. Big guy" he responded</p><p>Being able to detect magic was a useful skill Haru wished he had, but for Reinhard to be able to detect magic as weak as <strong>Shadow Step</strong>? Was shocking,</p><p>'<em>T-there's no way he could have sensed it... It barely uses any magicules... Maybe it was my m-monster aura..?'</em></p><p>Haru: " am I in trouble or anything for using magic?" he curiously asked,</p><p>Reinhard: "oh don't be alarmed, I understand that it was for self-defense. but actually, I've never seen that kind of magic before. what was it called?"</p><p>Haru: "oh uh, shadow step.."</p><p>Reinhard: "Interesting, shadow step you say? That is quite a useful technique, you are very skilled for a 16-year-old" he complimented</p><p>For the young boy, the thugs were nothing more than training dummies. His training with Hakurou greatly improved him and his team, in just a few days they were able to exchange hits with their master. So that proved the swordsman's methods were effective. On some days, their Master would even join them to polish his own sword skills.</p><p>Other than training with Hakurou, he would join missions and training days with the captain of the Shadow Squad of Tempest, Souei. Teaching him how to use a<strong> Shadow Step</strong>, an extra skill that allows the user to merge into shadows. Allows for very fast travel between locations. An evolved version of <strong>Shadow Step</strong> is called <strong>Spatial Travel</strong>. Granting him the ability to teleport to a place he has visited before. It is much faster than using Shadow Step, Even if you have acquired the skill. You might not be able to use it, to master it you have to keep practicing it. Only then can you use the ability well.</p><p><strong>Coercion</strong>, a common skill used to intimidate a range of targets. It scales the target's strength of the ability of the user and the target's ability to resist it. Effects range from hostility to feeling fear, and to losing consciousness</p><p><strong>Sticky Steel Thread </strong>and <strong>Steel Thread </strong>grants the user the ability to manipulate threads. They can cast the threads out of their fingertips and harden it at will, or use it to bind people to create traps. An Extra Skill that provides a lot of uses.<br/>
  <strong>Thought Communication</strong>, though it is one of the intrinsic skills of a Direwolf. It allows the user to communicate with multiple people with the user's mind. Negating any need for actual speeches, though it has a range of 1 kilometer.<br/>
<br/>
  <strong>Large Range Multi-Layered Barrier, </strong>a unique skill gifted to him upon Reincarnation, creates a barrier around him and or his allies, its size depends on the amount of Magicules put into the skill. But using a large barrier often can train the number of times he could use it and how long the barrier can last</p><p>The barrier is invincible to all physical, and mental attacks. It could also trap his allies in the barrier unless he decides to stop the skill can they be freed. This skill can also be combined with <strong>Spatial Magic</strong>, to teleport a large group of people to his desired location.<br/>
  <strong>Unification</strong>, a unique skill given to goblin riders, where they could merge with their wolves and combine each other's magic, but he had yet to summon his Tempest wolf here.<br/>
 Lastly, most probably his most powerful skill: <strong>Omnipotent One</strong>, allows the user to analyze skills and understand them with a single look. And they can learn skills that they have analyzed. One skill he learned from watching a battle between his master and a flame spirit is called <br/>
<strong>Flare Circle</strong>, a spell that doesn't need any chants to use. Creates a magic circle beneath its target, engulfing them in powerful flames that scorch them to death.</p><p>Sadly, the majority of his skills were gained from torment. Which is why he barely uses most of it.</p><p>Haru: "It's not every day you get to be praised by the sword saint, thank you Reinhard-san" he bowed</p><p>Reinhard: "It is my pleasure. However, that title is too much for me. And you don't need to be so formal, Haru" he replied,</p><p>Haru: "right... o-okay then"</p><p>The two exchanged smiles once more as they both lifted their hands for a handshake, which is what would have happened if they weren't interrupted.</p><p>?: "xcuse' me! passin' through!" the girl exclaimed while running through the alley,<br/>
 She had medium-length golden hair with a black bow and red eyes and scruffy clothing. Jumping from the crate, she jumped onto the roof and ran away. Leaving the two behind,</p><p>Clearly recognizing the girl, Haru's eyes widened. <em>'Felt?'</em> he thought to himself. It was then when he started to remember what he read in the novel, where Felt was going to be revealed as a candidate for the kingdom's Royale Selection.</p><p>So Haru had three choices: <em>Follow the path Subaru did, in any case, he didn't have </em><em><strong>it </strong></em><em>then he must take the last loop of that event.<br/>
Or, carve his own path but the outcome would be the same. Lastly, </em><em><strong>run away now and do not involve yourself at all.</strong></em></p><p>It was crystal clear what path he would take,</p><p>Haru: "R-Reinhard.. I'm pretty sure that girl stole something," he told the knight,</p><p>Reinhard: "Really? did you see what it was?" he asked</p><p>Haru: ''She was holding an uhh.. What were those called again? Insignia! Its center had a gemstone and was about this big. I'm pretty sure it glowed too," he said while forming a small circle with his fingers. Using every adjective he could think of just to describe an Insignia, he finally got his point across</p><p>Reinhard: "insignia?... could it be?" he murmured,</p><p>So what path did Haru take? Let's dive deeper into it:</p><p>'<em>Catch Felt,<br/>
Return Insignia to its owner,<br/>
Felt becomes candidate,<br/>
Turn your back and disappear,<br/>
</em><em>Yes! Let's call it Haru's Master Plan, aren't I great?'</em> he thought to himself<em><br/>
</em></p><p>As the two were lost in thought, another voice called out from the end of the alleyway "thief! stop at once!" the owner's voice was fierce and feminine</p><p>'<em>Damnit, how many people pass by this damn alley' </em>he complained,</p><p>Turning their heads towards the source, the young man easily recognized the figure,</p><p>Reinhard: "Emilia-sama?" the young man said</p><p>Emilia: "Reinhard...?.. he took my insignia." he accused the boy</p><p>Reinhard turned his head toward the hooded boy and gave him a confused reaction that shouted "what?"</p><p>'<em>This girl.. accusing me of stealing her damn insignia how rude.' the boy felt aggrieved</em></p><p>Haru: "look lady, I don't know what brought you to the conclusion that I took it . But, if it helps then a girl just ran past us holding it." he said while crossing his arms. Turning his gaze away from the girl,</p><p>His stutter that could almost be confused for a verbal tic disappeared, </p><p>Emilia: "You must be having dirty thoughts, that's why you're turning away. It seems like I've found the right person." she said while walking towards the boy,</p><p>Haru: "First of all, stop jumping to conclusions that I'm having dirty thoughts, Second, Did you not hear what I said? Plus, I'm merely admiring the 'beauty' of the place." he replied,</p><p>Emilia: ".. Then do you know who stole my Insignia?" she asked,</p><p>The girl was... Stubborn, Haru turned towards Reinhard in a pleading manner. Sadly, Reinhard didn't get the clue, so he stood there dumbfounded.</p><p>Haru: "I just told you the girl ran by holding it..."</p><p>Emilia paused before her expression changed from a fierce look to a face filled with confusion, her glare softened, and her mouth curved into a frown,</p><p>Emilia: "Goodness, are you joking? So you were telling the truth?" she asked,</p><p>Haru: "p-pretty much, can't you read the room?" he sighed,</p><p>Reinhard: "Emilia-sama, we must find it at once. Allow me to assist you in catching this thief "</p><p>Emilia: "Thank you, Reinhard, I would appreciate it. And you.. Boy with strange clothes, I apologize for accusing you...!" she said in a regretful tone,</p><p>The girl with silver hair tied into a braid, with mesmerizing purple eyes. in a white outfit with boots and sleeves that extend beyond her hands. Emilia, one of the royal candidates for being the next king of Lugnica.</p><p>'<em>Right... I remember everything now. But.. I'm not gonna lie, Subaru was right. She was unmistakenly beautiful, but I had my eyes on Shuna."</em> he snickered</p><p>Haru: "oh uh, it's okay?" he responded</p><p>Emilia: "o-okay..?"</p><p>Haru: "Uhm.. It means I acknowledge your apology..." he answered</p><p>Emilia: "oh... Then t-thank you so much...!"</p><p>After watching the exchange of the two, Reinhard spoke up,</p><p>Reinhard: "We should be going now, Emilia-sama."</p><p>Emilia: "Yes, let's go" she responded,</p><p>Reinhard gave a quick nod before he and Emilia began to walk out of the alleyway. His job was done, they were going to find it. No one was going to get hurt. He could focus on getting back home now,</p><p>Haru: "Wait, Reinhard! P-please, let me help. I think I might have an i-idea about where she went"</p><p>The <em>idiot </em>called out to the two, It was disappointing that he wasted a good opportunity to get out of that country. He even regretted calling out to the two. The duo stopped in their tracks and looked at the boy,</p><p>Emilia: "Are you sure...?"</p><p>Haru: "Really sure, I wanna help you two" he responded</p><p>Emilia: "why are you suddenly offering to help me, I find it hard to believe" she comments,</p><p>Haru: "huh..?"</p><p>'Crap, why do I wanna help her? It's not like It would benefit me if I involved myself with them... but I feel bad!"</p><p>Haru: "is it w-wrong to help..?" he asked,</p><p>Hearing this, the young man smiled and faced the boy,</p><p>Reinhard: "Very well then, Haru. Consider this your initiation to joining the Royal Guard," he says</p><p>The red-haired knight had no hint that he was joking about the matter. He said it in a serious and straightforward demeanor, on the receiving end. The young boy was racking his brain trying to figure out why Reinhard offered him up so quickly,</p><p>'<em>Please... When did I say I wanted to become part of the Royal Knights..? Crap, he didn't even say Royal Knights. He said Royal Guard! Wasn't that the 'best of the best' knights? Who is asked to protect and guard the royals? This is frustrating! I don't want to get involved... but I feel the guilt burdening me already!"</em></p><p>Haru: "Uhm.. right! okay! ill do my best.." despite his mind saying otherwise, he accepted the offer of the Red-haired knight. Reinhard and Emilia looked at each other and nodded, and the three of them made their way out of the alley.</p>
<hr/><p>They walked through the busy streets of the kingdom known as Lugunica. With citizens, demi-human and the like giving them surprising looks. It was a weird sight to see, the Sword Saint, beside a half-elf that resembled .... And who seemed like a normal boy, who they would commonly find walking around the capital.</p><p>'<em>Why are they looking at us like that... They should look at themselves first, I swear I saw like 4 different people pass by that looked exactly like Gabiru and Ranga,' </em>he thought to himself,</p><p>Reinhard: "Haru, about the thugs in the alley.." he asked,</p><p>At Least a while had passed since they left the alley, and the thug trio still didn't get up. But, since they were in such a rush. They left them there,</p><p>Haru: "don't worry about it, they're going to wake up" he reassured the knight,</p><p>They continued their walk until the boy stopped in his tracks. They all paused before asking him what was wrong,</p><p>Reinhard: "What's wrong Haru?"</p><p>Emilia: "Haru..?"</p><p>The boy reached under his cloak, his fingers hitting a hard surface. He tapped it once, before pulling it out. What came out was a white, oval-shaped mask, with black wavy lines spread across it in an organized manner. And a red dot in its center.</p><p>Haru: "Rimuru-sama's mask..." he murmured</p><p>Reinhard: "Haru? Is there something wrong?" he asked in concern,</p><p>Haru: "n-no... Sorry, I was just surprised. Let's keep going,"</p><p>Numerous thoughts raced through his mind,<br/>
Why did he have it? How did it end up with him?<br/>
It would have been fine if it was any other mask, but this specific mask belonged to his Master. A mask he inherited from his close friend when she passed,</p><p>'<em>I wanna go home... I have to give it back to him... I need to go back to them. I shouldn't have this, so until I see you again Rimuru-sama, Hakurou-sama, Shion, Souei, Benimaru, Gobta, Shuna. Mind waiting for me? I'll look for a way back home.'</em></p><p>Haru: "What's wrong Emilia? Reinhard? let's go, we're almost there."</p><p>Reinhard: "...right, let's go Emilia-sama."</p><p>Emilia: "mhm, lead the way"</p><p>Wiping off the small tears that formed under his eyes, he slowly put on the mask as they continued their journey to the Loot Warehouse</p>
<hr/><p>It wasn't long until the Great Spirit made his appearance. A grey cat with silver in certain spots. The color pink evident around his cheeks, blue eyes, small eyebrows, and a purple bag around him. Lastly, a single gold earring in his left ear.</p><p>Haru: "uh... I-am Haru Tempest! Nice to meet you, Great Spirit of Fire!" he introduced himself</p><p>Puck: "ooh! You're getting excited, I'm puck! Nice to meet you!"</p><p>The grey cat flew around and landed on his hand as the two exchanged a very one-sided hand shake. A gentle smile formed on the young boy's lips, even if it was covered by the mask. The others took note of this,</p><p>Emilia: "It's really rare to see someone being comfortable around spirits," she commented</p><p>Puck: "me too, aren't you afraid?" he added</p><p>Haru: "Maybe a bit, I'm aware how powerful a spirit can be. Especially Fire spirits, but you're so cute!" he said while stroking Puck's fur</p><p>Puck: "I'm overpowering in both magic and looks!" he exclaimed while striking a pose,</p><p>Puck: "However, you seem very well built." he says while inspecting the boy,</p><p>Haru: "For the past 2 and a half years I've been training constantly. B-but is it that good?" he asked,</p><p>'<em>If this world does something good then please God let it be my body! I'm sixteen! You gave me the body of an eight-year-old when I was un-named, and for what?!'</em></p><p>Striking a pose as he did, he flew over to Emilia and sat on her shoulder</p><p>Puck: "I don't sense any malice from him, in fact, his mind is really a mess right now" he informed the silver-haired girl</p><p>Emilia: "That's a relief, but what do you think happened to him? should I ask?"</p><p>Puck: "Not right now Lia, but based on what he said... no, it's pretty obvious. He's someone we shouldn't underestimate, he's going to be some real trouble if we get on his bad side."</p><p>Emilia: "oh... I wasn't planning to anyway,"</p><p>Puck: "Lia, last thing. That mask he's wearing is hiding his aura, but even with it on.."</p><p>Emilia: "but what?"</p><p>Puck: " I was only able to read a little but it was overwhelming. There's something with him. But I'm sure it will be okay, with Reinhard and I here. He wouldn't dare make any funny moves, he's smarter than that. If worse comes to worst, I'll follow the contract"</p><p>Emilia: "Thanks Puck, I'll keep that in mind" she replied</p><p>This supposed 'whisper session' was all heard due to one common skill that he uses at all times <strong>Enhanced Hearing. </strong>Allows him to hear the quietest whispers even from a distance.</p><p>' <em>I guess that stupid skill does have its pros. I'm glad that they don't think badly of me. But crap they noticed how messed up my mind is right now? that's depressing. I was trying my best to keep it in but they saw right through me.'</em></p>
<hr/><p>It was suspiciously quiet but from the young boy's observation. He figured out where the thief could have gone, surprisingly they took him up on his idea. Which brought them here, a broken down loot-house that was about two stories high, broken windows, and an over-all eerie vibe.</p><p>Reinhard: "Is this the place Haru-san?" he asked</p><p>Haru: "mhm, pretty sure she's inside" He responded,</p><p>The sword saint stepped ahead of the two, "Emilia-sama please stay behind me" he held out his arm as a way to shield the candidate if something ever went wrong.</p><p>Haru: "I'll go first then."</p><p>'<em>I still don't understand why I chose to be involved... I'm such an idiot! After this, I'm leaving."</em></p><p>Haru: "pardon the intrusion " he announced as he slowly opened the door of the loot house.</p><p>Haru gently pushed the door open, and as soon as he did. Cries filled his ears. His eyes slowly looked down to the floor, to see a grounded old man. And the young thief kneeling beside him crying her eyes out. She glared at the center of the room while maintaining pressure on the grounded man's stomach, where his gut was cut open and blood began to coat the wooden floors red,</p><p>They shifted their eyes to the center of the room. But found no one,</p><p>Emilia: "It's great that you are here, I won't let you get away this...time" Her words trailed off when she noticed the bleeding man.</p><p>The duo's eyes widened upon arriving at the scene, and the sword saint immediately stepped forward to help.</p><p>Reinhard: "are you the thief?" he asked while kneeling beside the girl,</p><p>Slowly putting his hands on the wound of the old man as he began to slowly stop the bleeding. Felt hesitated to answer before murmurs escaped her lips.<br/>
What she saw was a silhouette of a blade being raised into the air, directly behind the silver-haired girl.</p><p>Felt: "w-watch out!" she exclaimed,</p><p>Reinhard: "tsk! Haru!" he shouted,</p><p>Noticing this, the boy quickly pulled the girl by the arm. While drawing his katana to block the strike. The mysterious attacker quickly fled back toward the middle of the room. The dim light of the rays of the sun shined on the attacker, black hair tied into one tail on her left side. Drooping eyes that gave her a gentle aura, a skin-tight black dress. Wielding bent black kukri that was coated with blood.</p><p>Coming out of the green crystal that the silver-haired girl had in the middle of her chest, the grey cat spirit appeared</p><p>Puck: "What a surprise, that was close! You're fast Haru!" the spirit complemented while shooting a thumbs up,</p><p>???: "A spirit, it's a spirit! How wonderful!" she giggled,</p><p>The attacker straightened her posture and faced the group, her gentle eyes misleading them for a second. "I've never cut open a spirit's stomach before" she adds</p><p>Reinhard: "that's enough." the sword-saint comments while stepping forward, "well"</p><p>???: "You are.." the woman mumbles under her breath,</p><p>Reinhard: "black hair, black clothes, and a northerner's sword. With all these characteristics, there's no mistake that you are the Bowel Hunter." he says</p><p>'<em>So this is Elsa? She looks so pretty... it's just how I imagined her from the books..'</em></p><p>On the receiving end, the named Bowel Hunter licked her lips in satisfaction before speaking again,</p><p>Elsa: "Reinhard, the Knight of knights. You're from the family of Sword Saints, aren't you? And that masked boy who just blocked my attack.. It's great! I have so many interesting opponents!" she exclaimed cheerfully,</p><p>Reinhard: "I have a lot of things to ask you. So I advise you to surrender," he says to the woman</p><p>Elsa: "the prime and juicy prey is right in front of me, and I must say~ I'm more interested in that boy over there. And you want me, the hungry predator, to surrender?" she says while raising her arms for a shrug,</p><p>Hearing this, the sword saint chuckled. "Haru, back off a bit. It will be easier for me if you can go to where the Emilia-sama and the lady is." he says while pointing at Felt</p><p>Haru looked over to Felt, and beside her was Emilia. Who began to cast Healing magic to help the man's wounds.</p><p>Haru: "huh? What about my Royal Guard stuff?" he asked</p><p>Reinhard: "that would have to wait, I'm afraid I have to deal with her myself"</p><p>Haru: "no." he quickly responded</p><p>'<em>I mean I am here anyway... let's just have some fun before I take off'</em></p><p>Reaching for the pouch attached to his waist, Haru pulled out one glowing tube that contained blue liquid. Before closing it and hiding it behind his cloak.</p><p>Haru: " Here Felt, pour this on his wound, it's a healing potion okay?" he says as he hands the small tube.</p><p>Felt: "o-okay"</p><p>Felt accepts it and quickly unscrews its cap before pouring it on Old Man Rom's gut. The bleeding stopped completely and the large cut closed on its own. The torn-up skin reattached itself and began to disappear without a trace, surprising the people around him as he quickly sat up,</p><p>Reinhard: "extraordinary.."</p><p>Emilia: "It healed that quick...!"</p><p>Felt: "... how? Old Man Rom!" she exclaimed as he jumped on the man for a hug</p><p>Old Man Rom: "Felt.."</p><p>'<em>dunno why I still gave it... Emilia was already healing him, but it's great to see them back. Maybe it's not that bad to help these humans after all'</em></p><p>Elsa: "My my my.. how wonderful to see the old man sitting up again, it truly is a cute scene" she comments</p><p>Haru: "It is, isn't it? but anyway, you really are kind, you gave us enough time to heal him. You have my respect for that."</p><p>Elsa: "you're really good with words, I can't wait to open up your guts and see it's color!" she exclaimed</p><p>Haru: "for a bitch with a pretty face, you really say frightening words" he joked,</p><p>Reinhard: " I won't let that happen, Elsa Granhiert. You will meet your end right now" Just before the duel could happen between Haru and Elsa, the knight intervened.</p><p>Haru: "wait Reinhard. I can handle this, you said it was my initiation to become a knight, right?" he comments while aligning himself with the knight</p><p>Reinhard: "Haru...I think you may be underestimating Elsa."</p><p>Haru: "Don't underestimate a kid who worked hard just to survive. I've fought tougher monsters and threats in the past, who's to say I can't beat her?"</p><p>Reinhard: "Haru.."</p><p>Pointing his katana at the girl, he slowly took off his cloak. Revealing the sleeveless black top with iron rings on his upper arms, and bandages wrapped around his hands. Brown pants held up by the belt buckle pouch. And boots to finish the look.</p><p>He took off his mask before gently handing it over to the silver-haired girl, with light grey eyes and a charming smile. An evident pair of fangs from in his mouth, and grown out greyish white hair. Using <strong>Coercion</strong>, the mana in the air gave off an eerie, uncomfortable feeling. They felt threatened. They had an unexplainable feeling of fear, their chests felt heavy and they started to feel their limbs go numb little by little.</p><p>Haru: "Watch me, Emilia-sama, Reinhard"</p><p>The two were speechless.</p><p>Everyone but Sword Saint and the Bowel Hunter felt themselves being pulled to the ground by an immense and heavy force, they felt their own body slip in and out of consciousness.</p><p>Elsa: "this is going to be interesting, I can't wait to open you up!" she exclaimed</p><p>The young boy took one step forward, and Elsa took one back. This repeated a few times before Elsa slowly got closer and closer to the wall.</p><p>Haru: "that's a weird obsession.. let's go."</p><p>breaking a portion of the floor as he kicked off the ground. With Elsa doing the same, the two clashed. Haru with his katana, and Elsa with her Kukri knives. Elsa simultaneously slashed with her knives, switching from left to right. Using her body's own flexibility to cut at any vulnerable spot. </p><p>The two exchanged hits. Sparks came out of the duo's blades as they clashed. She gripped on her knife and dropped at knee level to deliver a counter-attack. She kicked at his legs and twisted her body to turn in place as she tried to slash at the young-boys intestines. Relying purely on instinct, he shifted his wrist to change the position of his blade. Blocking the kukri knife, he quickly jumped up and landed on the attacker's knife, </p><p>Using his own mana he powered up his legs, making it strong enough to snap her blade in half. She flipped backward and created distance. Staring at her broken knife she clicked her tongue, she slowly stepped back and disappeared from his view,</p><p>Elsa: "You're fun.. let's dance shall we boy?" she exclaimed</p><p>Looking around the room where the Bowel Hunter could be. His eyes landed on the corner of the dimly lit Loothouse,</p><p>Haru: "hey mind if we both take it outside? I don't wanna ruin old man's loothouse. and I'm sort of getting anxious staying here," he says out of the blue,</p><p>The group was confused at how he was able to exchange hits with the killer and have no wounds or abrasions. But what surprised him more was when he brought up a conversation mid-battle. Then, she appeared once more. From the top corner of the Loothouse where he expected her to be, she prepared her knives and metal picks as she threw them at high speeds,</p><p>Elsa: "holding a conversation during our duel, you're quite rude," she says</p><p>Throwing her weapons at the group, the sword saint had no choice but to lend a hand. He quickly picked up a sword from the wall to defend the attack. But his efforts were wasted. The young boy extended his hands and chanted <strong>Sticky Steel Thread</strong>, thin threads came out of his fingertips and attached itself to the flying metal weapons. Its sharpness was worth nothing, as soon as the first strand of the thread attached itself the whole weapon got engulfed in a sticky thin thread,</p><p>Emilia: "...!"</p><p>Haru: " I am your opponent here, Elsa. I'd just say I'm being considerate," he says</p><p>Pulling back his hand as the weapons came with it. Using his momentum, he whipped the thread toward a broken window. The kukri knives created a small opening in the loot house.</p><p>Haru: "w-wait my bad! s-sorry old man! I'll help you fix it later" he exclaimed</p><p>Quickly dashing towards Elsa once more, they exchanged hits again. She jumped up, putting her hands on the boy's shoulder. Flipping her body as she pushed him off a little bit as she tried to cut his gut.</p><p>From the momentum, he rolled over and kicked her chin. Extending his leg once more to hit the crook of her neck as she crashed to the nearby wall. Splinters appeared on her body and the wall behind her cracked,</p><p>Elsa: " for a handsome young boy like you to have such strength, you are truly loved by this world," she says while wiping the blood from her mouth</p><p>Haru: "It's funny that you say that. This world is nothing but a cruel place filled with horror and pain. In fact, being in here makes me so sick I might even puke. The world corrupts people, it changes them. My own strength didn't come from love... but I'm trying to prove something"</p><p>Elsa: "...and that is?"</p><p>Haru paused, before facing the girl with a cheerful smile "If I stop and look around this cursed world, maybe I'll find the beauty in it. that's all I want now."</p><p>Holding up his hand, he casts <strong>Steel Threads</strong> "this was fun, Elsa" The threads engulfed Elsa's body. The group's mouth opened in shock at the site. Using her spare knives, she tried to cut at the threads.</p><p>Elsa: "what is this..!" she exclaimed</p><p>Haru: "It's disappointing that you got caught in this simple skill" </p><p>Lifting up one finger, he slowly pulled on the thin thread that stretched throughout her. Slowly, little by little, with each passing second. The depth of the cut extended deeper into her skin, causing the thread to slowly become dyed in crimson red. Blood spilled from the wound, leaking the life out of her body as it dropped to the floor. Her right arm has fallen off,</p><p>Groaning in pain, the woman bit on her lip. Shifting her eyes from the fallen limb to the boy who caused it to happen. Her eyes were filled with anger, her glare towards the boy could almost be noted as one of the scariest things one could ever experience.</p><p>Haru: "Goodbye."</p><p>Who would have known that word could have such an impact on the maiden's heart. Before she could utter a word the boy closed his hand. The threads cut into her body, separating it into little pieces as her body parts scattered throughout the floor. Her blood stained the creaking wooden floors red, </p><p>Reinhard: "... Haru you.." the sword-saint mumbled</p><p>Puck: "he did it that quick..?"</p><p>All of them were so shocked, they were at a complete loss for words. Questioning whether to be thankful that the enemy was defeated or afraid that he had the power to do such a feat. In the young boy's presence, everyone else was reduced to nothing more than human beings. In front of them was no doubt, a monster.</p><p>Emilia: " are you hurt..?" she asked as she slowly approached him</p><p>The only person who would ever be able to stand up to such a demon was an angel, a silver-haired young girl walked over to the boy with concern in her eyes.<br/>
The young boy looked up to face her as he shook his head slowly, his expression seemed unbothered that he took away a maiden's life with no issues. Not only that but he completely lied about his condition, he wasn't suffering from any serious injuries. But his body was scattered with cuts,</p><p>Felt: "it's over now, right..?" she asked</p><p>Haru chuckled, before replying " d-damnit... so I broke that window for no reason?"</p><p>Just when he thought he could relax, another knife flew towards the group. With no time to react or even realize the danger that was approaching the girl, she could only watch in shock as the light-haired boy jumped in to push her aside. Falling to the ground with no strength or will to prevent her fall from hurting, her eyes locked on the boy,</p><p>Haru: "hng.." he groaned</p><p>The one-hand that saved her was met with the kukri knife. Splitting his arm in half starting from his elbow to the gap between his middle and index finger. As blood splattered throughout the loot house, he bit his lip to deal with the amount of pain that he was in. Only then did the girl realize what had just happened,</p><p>Emilia: "y.... your arm!" she exclaimed</p><p>She quickly got up and sprinted towards the boy, using her mana to close up his wound. Fear and regret were written on her face as she wondered why the boy would do such a reckless thing,</p><p>Her fingers hovering above his wounds, as her eyes scanned his body looking for any more wounds he could have. Her mouth dropped as she realized how battered he truly was. <em>He was the biggest liar to ever exist</em>, she thought.</p><p>Aggravated by his own choice of leaving the young boy to deal with such a powerful enemy alone, he furrowed his brows and stepped forward "That's enough Elsa!" he says</p><p>Emilia: "y-your arm is really... really in bad shape, you dummy! why would you do that?!" she exclaimed,</p><p>Haru: " s-somehow I got deja vu hearing her say that... it's fine, I can still handle her. Just watch me." he replied</p><p>Pulling back his arm from the girl's grasps, he stepped forward again. Gripping in his sword as he took deep breaths to relieve himself from the pain,</p><p>Reinhard: "Haru, let me take over! your arm i-"</p><p>Haru: "it hurts.. but it's okay!" he interrupted them,</p><p>Emilia: "idiot! you're in no shape to continue fighting!" she shouted</p><p>Puck: "Lia's right, Haru. Let Reinhard handle her. You've done enough, it's okay." he added</p><p>Felt: "big bro your arm..." she said in a concerned voice</p><p>Haru's face twisted into a shocked expression as he shot his head towards the golden-haired girl,</p><p>Haru: " a-and big bro..? i-I'm not that old, I'm around your age Felt.." he sighed</p><p>As if their worrying yells came and left through the other ear, he only reacted to the small misunderstanding of his age,</p><p>He opened the pouch once more, as he pulled out another healing potion. He poured half of it on his bleeding arm, as soon as it closed up he returned it back to its pouch and walked to the center of the Loothouse. With a deep breath he spoke up, before speaking, "Elsa, you're not human are you?" he asked the supposed dead killer</p><p>Elsa: " It's you again..! you caught onto that quick, I didn't think you would have been able to kill me that fast though. You really are amazing!" the woman said while giggling,</p><p>They looked around the room, but they still couldn't find the woman. </p><p>Haru: "Then that makes two of us, a-and you ruined my bandage guards Elsa! If you planned to kill me then aim for my head!"</p><p>Elsa: "you have a death wish, then I shall grant it. Can we start all over again?" she asked</p><p>Using <strong>Shadow Step</strong>, he sank into his own shadow. Disappearing from the ground. Before faint sparkles and the sounds of blades hitting each other began to appear in the air. Along with the prominent creaks and flying pieces of wood as the two began to duel once more.</p><p>To everyone else, it was all a blur. Their eyes could barely catch up with the fast movements of the two. The battle from Reinhard's point of view was like watching two normal swordsmen battle. He got the feeling of reassurance that he won't even need to lend a hand in this battle. Each of their hits was critical but were easily blocked by their opponent, every twist of their body to avoid the hits were almost graceful and amusing to watch. The way the two would look at each other could almost be mistaken for a young pair who were in love. A cruelly one-sided love.</p><p>Old Man Rom: "They're equal... young-ru is amazing..."</p><p>Puck: "Haru... no, he's beating her!"</p><p>Suddenly the young boy crashed into the other side of the wall, the impact so hard that the wall collapsed on itself as the boy plummeted to the ground outside. He flipped and toppled on the ground from the momentum,</p><p>Reinhard: "Haru!" the knight said as he dashed outside,</p><p>Emilia: "H-Haru!" she exclaimed while following in pursuit,</p><p>Slowly, the boy stood up. Wiping off the dirt all over his body. And pressing on the small cuts that were scattered on his arms to ease the pain. Pulling off the long needles that stuck out of his leg, he looks back at the woman who now appeared behind him.</p><p>Elsa: "are you tired already? Does it hurt?" she asked,</p><p>Haru: "if you mean tired of looking at you then yes, I am. Plus, that's my line" he replied</p><p>Elsa: "how rude."</p><p>Haru: "you don't die easily do you?" he asked,</p><p>Elsa: "you should be well aware of that by now"</p><p>Haru: "dunno how many times I cut your neck open, it just heals up that quick. Plus, you brought out another pair of knives whenever I got rid of the first pair, and the number of needles I plucked out and blocked was a lot too. What happens if it runs out?" he asked</p><p>The bowel hunter chuckled, slowly she stepped forward towards the boy.</p><p>Elsa: "Without them, I'll use my claws. Without claws, I'll use my bones. Without bones, I'll use my life. That's how the bowel Hunter fights" she responds,</p><p>Straightening his back, he wiped the blood from his katana. Pointing it towards the woman before giving her a gentle smile, "you're admirable." he says</p><p>Elsa: "What are you going to show me?" the woman asks while smirking</p><p>Pointing his katana towards the night sky, he twirled it in between his fingers before putting it back in its sheath. He cracked his knuckles and closed both into a fist,</p><p>Haru: "I haven't really used this yet, so I'll test it out on you" he replied,</p><p>Witnessing this, the woman pointed her knife at the boy. While giving out her name,</p><p>Elsa: "Elsa Granhiert, the Bowel Hunter" she named herself,</p><p>The young boy closed his eyes and took a deep breath in,</p><p>Haru: "Haru Tempest, Rimuru's Third named Subordinate Monster."</p><p>'<em>I should really get a title of my own... '</em></p><p>As he gave out his name, the woman smiled.</p><p>The two dashed toward one another, extending both of her knives to the boy, the woman slashed and slashed. Over and over, her desperation didn't affect her mastery of the blade. It never became dull or not precise. Every attack was meant to kill him. To evade the attack, he jumped upward. Repeating the same thing she did to him, he flipped in mid-air and pushed on her back strong enough to make her stumble forwards.</p><p>Haru: "<strong>Sticky Steel Threads</strong>" he chanted</p><p>Holding up both of his hands, threads came out and latched themselves on Elsa's body. Before planting both of his palms down to the ground it. He ran off to the other side while repeating the skill, to the point where Elsa was stuck in a knelt position. Using her arms as her final supporting pillar so her body wouldn't be grounded by the multiple threads.</p><p>Elsa: "ah... is this how I go out?" she murmured,</p><p>he looked back at the woman with an apologetic expression. "It's about time, Elsa," he says to her,</p><p>He walked in the opposite direction of the girl before stopping in his tracks,</p><p>Haru: "I'm so sorry, that you'd go out this way. I hope you make it somewhere that isn't here, and live a peaceful new life" he comments,</p><p>Feeling tears form under her eyes, an unexplainable feeling of guilt built up inside of her. A feeling she never thought she would have to encounter. She never felt bad about taking innocent lives, and yet in his presence, she was almost repenting for everything she has done. Internally taking responsibility for the horrendous acts she committed.</p><p>He turned his body toward the girl, raising his hand into the air. Closing his eyes to further visualize the spell, <em>fire</em> repeating in his head.</p><p>Red fiery hell, in an enclosed space. Symbols made by the Flame Lord Spirit himself, who could burn down entire villages. And nullify even the most powerful water spells just with the heat of his own flames.</p><p>That flame spirit's skill that will bring an end to her life.</p><p>
  <strong>Flare Circle</strong>
</p><p>Instantly, a circle began to form beneath Elsa. Growing bigger and bigger, even closing in the land beside her. Lines protruding from the circle as the symbols and shapes began to form. Expanding more and more as spirals began to appear on the outside of the magic circle.</p><p>Elsa: "...!" her eyes widened in surprise,</p><p>She glared at the white-haired boy in front of her, Using her own nails, she dug into the threads that grounded her. But it wouldn't cut. She used her teeth to chew on the threads that stretched across her face. She used her shoulders to try and shake off the tightness of the white threads that kept her from escaping.</p><p>Her face showed a pained expression. Her eyes shaking with fear as tears began to run down her cheeks. She realized that her life was about to come to an end. </p><p>Elsa: "p-please...!" she exclaimed</p><p>She couldn't put into words what exactly she wanted, so she pleaded. She begged the boy in front of her to spare her life. When faced with a monster, apologies are worthless. But she knew exactly what she had done in the past, what made her different from the boy in front of her?</p><p>Noticing the fear installed on the woman, the boy sighed. Sometimes, monsters need to look out for each other.</p><p>Haru: "sorry, Elsa," he says</p><p>Offering the only thing he could give to her right now as a way to comfort her, he gave his most sincere apology. And wished her the best of luck in her next life,</p><p>Screaming at the top of her lungs as he finally activates the skill that took a large portion of his magicules to use, the spirals lit up. Making their way through the center as it slowly engulfs the woman. As soon as it hit it the final triangular symbol on the center of the magic circle. The flames came out, it's heat was so immense that the air around it had gone warm, it's pressure so heavy that the caster himself fell to his knees. Flames so bright it lit up the entire area, flames so high that it could almost reach the roof of the loot house.</p><p>Radiant and glowing red, slowly torching up the miserable woman. Her screams echoed throughout the slums, accompanied by the pained shouts it's caster exclaimed as he slowly got drained of his magicules. The Bowel Hunter was having a taste of hell itself.</p><p>Reinhard: "Everyone!" he shouted,</p><p>Running back inside the loot house, Using the remaining wall as a shield against the immense heat, he pulled her, the thief, and the old man close. Inspecting them individually before giving a comforting smile to ease their fear,</p><p>Felt: "i-is big bro okay?" she asked,</p><p>The only view that they could see was the tall wall of flames, the person experiencing the spell and the person who cast it was unknown to them. The screams of the two weren't helping them either, but they all had a gut feeling that the monstrous flame was produced by no one other than,</p><p>Haru: "..it's so loud" he cried out,</p><p>Using his hands to cover the sound of the howling flame, and the cries of the woman burning in it. Down on his knees panting, using his elbows to support himself from tipping over. The flame slowly began to cease, the air wasn't as warm anymore, and the area that lit up began to shrink little by little. Before the flames disappeared into nothingness,</p><p>Reinhard: "Haru! are you okay?!" he shouted while running towards the fallen boy,</p><p>Taking a moment to respond, he wiped his nose and looked at the knight with a small smile,</p><p>Haru: "yeah... I've never killed anyone before though, Sorry Reinhard."</p><p>Reinhard: "Don't apologize for something I forced upon you.. I'm glad you're okay, my friend" he says with a comforting smile,</p><p>Emilia: "it's over.. Right?" she asked while slowly approaching the two,</p><p>Haru: "it is.. Sorry if I scared you" he replied</p><p>Getting up from his knees he slowly wiped off the dirt on his pants and boots,</p><p>Reinhard: "did any of you get hurt by that?" he asked while turning his head toward the old man and thief who approached them,</p><p>Old Man Rom: "nothing wrong here.. I'd like to say that for the woman though.." he mumbled</p><p>Their eyes shifted towards the site of ashes, the remains of a woman who burnt to a crisp just a minute ago. The only thing that remained to remember her by were the blades that were scattered around the area.</p><p>That was it, the Bowel Hunter was dead. Elsa Granhiert is dead, are you happy? Haru?</p><p>'<em>I'm beat... I hope you end up in a better place, Elsa"</em></p><p>Reinhard: "Elsa's dead, and there aren't any losses. Do you understand what you just did, Haru?" he asked</p><p>Haru turned his head toward the red-haired knight and gave an exhausted sigh,</p><p>Haru: "I'm getting arrested...?" he asked back with a scared expression</p><p>Reinhard giggled hearing this, "not at all"</p><p>Reinhard: "What you've just done has changed the fate of this country. You've just stopped hundreds of possible deaths at the hands of the Bowel Hunter, and you've given those who have died at her hands a sense of solace. I am in-debt to you, Haru. You've done something I could only dream of managing on my own" he bowed</p><p>Haru: "...huh?" he murmured</p><p>His face twisted to the side as he tries to understand what Reinhard's long compliment could mean, "..so I'm not getting arrested for killing her?" he asked once more</p><p>Reinhard: "you have my word on it, Haru. You're not getting arrested" he chuckled</p><p>Haru's face brightened up and his mouth opened into a smile,</p><p>'<em>Thank God! Imagine getting arrested in a new world! Couldn't be me!' </em>he thought to himself,</p><p>Walking up towards him, the silver-haired girl tapped him on the shoulder.</p><p>Emilia: "uhm.."</p><p>Haru: "oh.. Emilia, glad you're okay," he says upon inspecting her,</p><p>Emilia: "it's thanks to you... Thank you, Haru. Thank you for saving me," she says with a gentle look on her face</p><p>Suddenly, Another wave of heat came out. This time appearing on Haru's face as his cheeks began to glow red,</p><p>'<em>Crap..! what are you blushing for Haru.!?'</em></p><p>Haru: "it's nothing, Emilia. Anything to help" he replied while extending his hand</p><p>Emilia takes note of this and extends hers as the two exchange a handshake. "oh!" she exclaimed as if remembering something,</p><p>Emilia: "I took care of your mask for you, take it," she says while handing the anti-magic mask</p><p>Haru: " Thanks Emilia, good thing you didn't lose it like your Insignia" he joked</p><p>Hearing this, The silver-haired girl pouted "I didn't lose it! i-it got stolen! that was totally out of my control, Haru you jerk!" she says while looking away</p><p>Haru: "I'm kidding Emilia, don't take it the wrong way" he giggled</p><p>Emilia turned her head back to him as her face relaxed into a smile</p><p>Emilia: "honestly... you're such a dunderhead," she says</p><p>Haru: "dunderhead? that's the first time I've heard it in a while. Could be my new title" he giggled</p><p>
  <strong>TO BE CONTINUED</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Next Chapter: The Inconclusive Boy</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Inconclusive Boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As Haru's first day in this familiar world comes to an end. He begins to question whether or not he should stay or leave.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <b>Arc 1: Straight Out of the Book</b>
  </em>
</p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <strong>
      <em>Inconclusive- not leading to a firm conclusion; not ending doubt or dispute.</em>
    </strong>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Reinhard: "For you to be able to beat her that fast... I must say, you never fail to amaze me," the sword saint says while taking the seat next to the boy</p>
<p>About half an hour had passed since the battle between Haru and the Bowel Hunter. The two boys sat down on the chairs inside of the now broken Loot House. Currently waiting for the Royal Knights to come and pick up the remains of the bowel hunter, not like there was much to pick up from her anyway. As well as to meet the young hero who defeated her single-handedly.</p>
<p>Haru: "for news to spread that fast I'm even more shocked..." he replied</p>
<p>Reinhard: "Isn't this what you wanted? For your name to be known, which is why you wanted to join the knights?" he asked</p>
<p>'<em>What is it with people here and jumping to conclusions... Plus, I'm proud of my name already.'</em></p>
<p>Haru: "n-not really... I just didn't expect the news to reach the knights that quick" he sighed</p>
<p>Reinhard: "This isn't just your normal news, Haru. The power you hold is strong enough that you single-handedly took out the Capital's greatest threat outside of the Witch Cult. News getting out about her defeat shouldn't be all that surprising" he replied,</p>
<hr/>
<p>Haru: "so... do I pass the initiation?" </p>
<p>Reinhard: "You saved everyone... and you defeated the threat on your own, obviously you would pass."</p>
<p>Reinhard gave a big warm smile while putting his hand on the boy's shoulders to congratulate him. Feeling the weight of both the accomplishment of getting rid of a big threat and the hands of the Knight who applauded him for his deed, his body jerked with every burdening pat on his shoulders,</p>
<p>Reinhard: "I shall let the capital know of your deeds!"</p>
<p>Haru: "w-wait...! Capital?! You're telling them that quick?" he asked while giving an embarrassed look</p>
<p>Reinhard: "is there an issue in doing so?"</p>
<p>Haru: "n-no... so I'm a knight now?" he asked again,</p>
<p>Reinhard: "Yes you are, the kingdom is great to have you" he says while shooting a bright smile</p>
<p>Haru felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand up, in shock. That for merely defeating a threat, he would be given a front-row seat to becoming a part of Lugunica's Royal knights. He never even received a background check on who he was or where he came from, their trust in him was almost creepy. This thought scared him <em>'He didn't even doubt that I would be an enemy..'</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>'<em>He wasn't joking about that huh..'</em> he thought to himself,</p>
<p>Reinhard: "not only did you defeat her, but you helped me in completing my mission. I really am in your debt, Haru," he says with a gentle expression,</p>
<p>Haru: " don't think that you're under my debt or anything. I offered my help because I wanted to..." he replied,</p>
<p>Looking at the body of the thief who lost her consciousness to the quick actions of the sword saint, the two further discussed.</p>
<p>Haru: "so, Felt-chan could become king. How would the nobles react to this?" he asked the red-haired knight</p>
<p>Reinhard paused for a moment, "I think the thought that someone from the slums is qualified to join the Royal Selection scares them. But one day, they will be bowing down to her when I make her king" he replies,</p>
<p>Haru: "Money and status have nothing to do with the qualifications, if you're qualified, then you are. It's would be soo bad of them to question the insignia and your decision of supporting her." he replied with a sigh,</p>
<p>Reinhard: "there are no lies there..."</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "and it's better for Felt that way, no one deserves to grow up in these trashy conditions" he added while walking towards the two,</p>
<p>The two turned their heads to greet the Old Giant, "Old Man Rom, you're not against this?" Haru asked</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "obviously when he held up his palm and suddenly Felt passed out like that I would react like any normal grandpa would... but I don't exactly disagree with allowing her to join the Selection." he replies</p>
<p>Nodding his head to take in the information, the sword-saint smiled "I'm glad to hear that if Felt agrees to join. I'll be happy to have three of you be part of my household"</p>
<p>Hearing this, Haru spit out the milk that surprisingly survived the whole battle. Wiping off the residue of milk on his upper lip, the new knight straightened his back.</p>
<p>Haru: "sorry, three of us?" he asks while giving the sword saint a confused look,</p>
<p>Looking around the room he counted, "Rom... Felt... m-me?!"</p>
<p>Reinhard: "indeed, I would love it if you chose to support Felt-sama as well. And she seems to have grown a liking to you" he replied with a giggle,</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "That doesn't sound that bad, what do ya say, young-ru?" he asked</p>
<p>Haru: "uhm uh.. I'll think about it. Thank you for your offer, Reinhard." he replied</p>
<p>The young boy was contemplating whether he should make a break for it and run away as far as possible to avoid getting too involved with them. He knew the problems he would face if he chose to stay. Even if he knew how to solve those problems, he didn't have any reason to help these people. They haven't done anything for him, and he isn't exactly obligated to do the same things Subaru did for them.</p>
<p>But there was that drive within him that stopped him from doing so, it kept reeling him in. Even if he wanted to run away, that unexplainable part of him couldn't. Whether he hated or loved his new situation was something he didn't know, he hated being away from his friends that he considered his only family back in Tempest. But for some reason he can't help but start to love the humans he's been meeting. It just kept pushing him towards them. His first attempt was earlier that day when the sword saint and half-elf originally planned to go alone, but Haru offered a hand and helped them. Which explains his current situation,</p>
<p>'<em>I'm way too deep in to walk out on them now..'</em> he thought to himself</p>
<p>Whether he admitted or not, he felt a sense of nostalgia being around them. He didn't understand why, he decided it was only because he read about them beforehand.</p>
<p>Then, carriages began to pull up outside of the Loot house, the duo walked to the door to be greeted by a pink-haired young girl wearing a maid uniform. Who paid no mind to their existence as she walked inside the loot house toward the silver-haired girl who sat at the table next to them.</p>
<p>?: "ah, so this is where Emilia-sama went. I was wondering where your curiosity would lead you. I didn't think it would take you this far that it took me half a day just to find you." she says in a disappointed tone</p>
<p>Emilia: "R-Ram...!" she exclaimed</p>
<p>Ram: "yes you're right, it's everyone's favorite Ram. Ram was worried about you, Emilia-sama. Ram turns her back on you for one second and by the time I look back you disappear. Hmph, it's like i'm taking care of a child" she sighs,</p>
<p>Emilia: "right.. Sorry for worrying you Ram" she says in a pleading manner.</p>
<p>Turning her head from the pink-haired maid, she looked at the white-haired boy "Haru..." she called out his name. Shifting his eyes to face the girl, he lifted his eyebrows to show that he was listening. The silver-haired girl grabbed the boy by the hand and dragged him outside, leaving the pink-haired maid, the sword saint, and giant alone in the Loot house to discuss what transpired that night,</p>
<p>Emilia: "I want to repay you in kind for helping me... and saving me, even if you had no reason to... You even got hurt for my sake," she says with a downcasted look,</p>
<p>Haru: "repay me... Weren't healing my wounds enough?" he asked while tilting his head,</p>
<p>Emilia: "it was such a small act... and yet I feel like I owe you so much. I hardly even know you and yet you were so kind to me... so no, healing you isn't enough" she replied</p>
<p>The moonlit up the surrounding area, the quiet blissful swaying of the leaves around them, and the feeling of serenity that overcame the two as they continued to discuss. For some odd reason, the two felt safe when they were with each other. Total strangers, who had only met that day, felt tranquil when they talked.</p>
<p>It shocked Emilia that this boy felt no fear or hatred towards her like the others did. The boy didn't detest her, in fact, he never even brought up that she was a half-elf. He paid no mind to her features that had an uncanny resemblance to the Witch that cursed that world. He was the first boy, who treated her like a normal person. And yet, as her first impression she accuses him of stealing her Royal Insignia, and that same boy offered his hand and helped her search for it, even going so far as to fight just to protect her. This strange boy... she hasn't done anything for him, and yet there he was helping her.</p>
<p>Haru: "why are you looking at me like that?" the boy asked</p>
<p>Emilia looked distant, upon realizing what she had been doing she quickly straightened her back "o-oh! Sorry... I'm just really tired" she replies</p>
<p>Haru: "oh, let's head back then and rest up when you get home, okay?" he says while putting his hands in his pockets to make his way back into the loot house, "w-wait!" she exclaimed, making Haru stop in his tracks</p>
<p>Haru: "hm? What's wrong?" he asks</p>
<p>Emilia: "i-i'm a half-elf.." she says with an upset face</p>
<p>Haru made his way back to the girl, lowering his chest until they both met at eye level. Haru was way taller than Emilia, so seeing Haru that close up surprised her</p>
<p>Haru: "what about it?" he asks</p>
<p>Emilia became even more shocked at his response, "I-I'm a half-elf... I have silver-hair... a-and pointy ears..." she added</p>
<p>Haru: "mhm I know, and what about it?" he replied,</p>
<p>Shooting her head up to face the boy, tripping over her own words. "D-doesn't it alarm you at all...? I-I look like the witch... an-"</p>
<p>Haru: "but you're not her" he interrupts</p>
<p>Shooting her a determined expression, the boy continued. "If you think I would hate you for something you can't control, you're way too hard on yourself," he adds</p>
<p>Her hands fidgeting behind her back, the silver-haired girl didn't know what to say.</p>
<p>Haru: "I'm not shallow enough to bring down other people just for their race, there's so much more to a person than just their looks. plus I was taught better than that. Wait.. let me rephrase that why would I hate on someone I consider as my friend?" he asked her</p>
<p>Emilia: "f-friend...?" she murmured</p>
<p>Haru: "I mean... if you don't want to be friends it's perfectly fine. I'd love to be friends with you" he replies while turning away from her,</p>
<p>Emilia: "i-it's not a problem... but how could you be so kind to me?" she asked him</p>
<p>Haru: "Hmm... obviously I would be kind to anyone I meet, let's see... you're kind and pretty, plus your spirit's really cute. Isn't that enough a reason to be kind to you? I could name at least like 5 more that I could think of even if we just met"</p>
<p>Thinking back to how he arrived at that conclusion, he thought back to one of the first lessons he was taught upon being reincarnated.</p>
<hr/>
<p>?: "As you can see, we're a huge family now. So to avoid problems, I think we should set some rules ." Sitting on top of a tree trunk, the blue slime announced to the crowd.</p>
<p>Next to him was the present Goblin Village Elder, Rigurd. He had a robust muscular body with large muscles that could easily be seen through his clothes, and gray hair. To the slime's left side was his companion Ranga, A direwolf who upon being given a name evolved into a Tempest Star Wolf. Living up to his name, he had a growing horn protruding from the center of the star on his forehead. He had dark periwinkle hair and bandages wrapped around his four legs.</p>
<p>The blue slime was no one other than Rimuru Tempest,</p>
<p>Goblins and wolves: "rules..?" the crowd mumbled, tilting their heads to show their confusion</p>
<p>Shaping a portion of his blue slime body, he raised up three fingers. "There are three rules"</p>
<p>Rimuru: "I'd like you to uphold them, at the very least. First, no attacking humans. Second, no fighting amongst yourselves. third, no belittling other races. That's it." he says</p>
<p>Confused by this, the Goblins and the wolves let out a questionable sigh,</p>
<p>Goblins and wolves: "ehhh"</p>
<p>The son of the Goblin Elder, Rigur. Raised his hand catching the blue slime's attention, "me!" he exclaimed</p>
<p>Rimuru: "Yes, Rigur-kun!" he calls out to the young goblin</p>
<p>Rigur: "Why aren't we allowed to attack humans?" he asked</p>
<p>That question angered the elder. Why would he question their Lord's simple request? He thought, calling the attention of his son "hey! Rigur!" Taking a few steps forward as if he was about to lecture him,</p>
<p>"It's all right" the blue slime interfered.</p>
<p>Rimuru: "The reason is simple, it's because I like humans. That's it!" he replied</p>
<p>Shooting his hands up into a fist, the young goblin exclaimed</p>
<p>Rigur: "I see! Now I understand!"</p>
<p>Surprised by the adaptability to the seemingly strange rules. The reincarnated slime questioned him once more, "huh? You understand.... Really?" he pondered</p>
<p>Shooting a big smile and a thumbs-up, the village elder shifted his gaze toward the blue slime. Making him blush slightly, even though his slime body had no way of allowing or even showing that he blushed, it even confused him.</p>
<p>Rimuru: "Um, so, listen...Humans live in groups. If you mess with them, they could retaliate in a big way. And if they come after us in earnest. I doubt we could handle them. Besides, getting along benefits us in a lot of ways, anyway." he adds</p>
<p>Nodding their heads in agreement, the Goblins and Wolves listened attentively to their leaders' words. "Mhm!"</p>
<p>Happy with the reactions of his subordinates, Rimuru asked once more if there were any more questions. Raising his hand to catch their leader's attention, the other young goblin. Who maintained his pre-name form Gobta exclaimed,</p>
<p>Gobta: "Me!"</p>
<p>Rimuru: "Gobta-kun!" he says while morphing a portion of his body once more to point at the young goblin.</p>
<p>Gobta: "What did you mean by 'no belittling other races' ?" he asked</p>
<p>Hearing this, Rimuru paused. "Well, you've all gotten stronger by evolving, right? It means you shouldn't let that get to your head and push weaker races around. Don't make the mistake of thinking you're better than them. You don't want them getting stronger themselves and retaliating someday, do you?" he replies</p>
<p>Taking in the words of their Lord, the young goblin shook his head violently. "Okay! Got it, sir!" he replied</p>
<p>The situations were different, back in Tempest. It was crucial to not anger other races to avoid trouble, like what the master said. Attaining new powers or strength shouldn't be a reason to belittle others.</p>
<p>The same goes for his situation in Lugunica. Belittling or hating on the humans didn't make him any better. He took his master's words to heart, and to this day he persistently lives by it.</p>
<p>Even if he had been cornered with multiple offers and an inescapable future that only he could change. Those rules kept him from turning on the humans he met. Who knows what would have happened if he chose to disobey the rule that forbade them to hurt humans? How would things turn out now if he chose to be prideful about his power and take over that kingdom?</p>
<p>Even if his kindness toward the half-elf came from rules he chose to not disobey. That lie that he stated was his reason behind his actions towards her brought him closer to her.</p>
<p><em>Maybe one day he would find the truth in his lie.</em><br/><em>Maybe one day he would find the beauty in the cursed world he's been brought to.</em><br/><em>Maybe one day he would finally understand why he was even here.</em><br/>Who knows when those days would come?</p>
<p>Emilia: "Thank you, Haru. I think we should get back inside" she says with a cheerful smile</p>
<p>Nodding his head in agreement, the two went back inside.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Aside from all the sounds of the carriages and talking outside the Loot House. The trio inside began to wrap up their conversation about what transpired.</p>
<p>Ram: "I see, so Emilia-sama got her Insignia stolen. Then you and the boy outside assisted her in looking for it. Which brings us here," she says with a confused look</p>
<p>Reinhard: "yes, Ram-san. That's exactly what happened, will her endorser be upset with her?" the knight asked</p>
<p>Thinking over his question, the maid sighed. "Roswaal-sama would be more happy than upset, he'd be glad that Emilia-sama didn't get hurt. But for the boy, I think it would be best if he comes to the mansion so Roswaal-sama can discuss with him" she replies</p>
<p>Reinhard: "if you're suggesting that he comes home with the both of you. I suggest postponing the meeting, for now, Haru and I have talked about the matter earlier. He will be coming with me to my household to prepare for his ceremony" the sword saint replied,</p>
<p>Ram: "ceremony?" the pink-haired maid asked while tilting her he</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "yeah little lady, young-ru's going to be part of the Royal Guard according to Reinhard, but for the ceremony to be held tomorrow? Isn't that too soon, poor boy won't even be able to settle down" he adds</p>
<p>Reinhard: "That is an issue, but Sir Marcos would love to meet Haru as soon as possible. Plus, I'm sure the kingdom will be kind enough to award him for his deeds" he replied</p>
<p>Coming to an agreement, the pink-haired maid stood up from her chair and fixed the creases on her outfit "very well, I will be telling Roswaal-sama about this. Thank you, Reinhard-san. I'm sure Emilia-sama and the boy have finished discussing as well, we will be on our way" she says while bowing to the sword saint.</p>
<p>Reinhard replied with a smile back as the maid left the loot house, extending her hand to grip the handle of the broken door. Until suddenly the door opens from the other side, "oh, Emilia-sama" the maid says in surprise</p>
<p>Emilia: "Ram, are we leaving? If so then Haru is coming along with us, I still need to repay him f-"</p>
<p>Ram: "There is no need for urgency, Emilia-sama. Ram has already spoken to Reinhard-san about it. And I know all about the situation" she interrupts the silver-haired girl</p>
<p>Emilia: "o-oh.." she murmurs</p>
<p>Turning her head toward the white-haired boy, the maid bowed "T-Th..ank you v..very much, sir, for assisting the troublesome Emilia-sama. Regarding your award, you may speak to her endorser right after your ceremony" she says</p>
<p>Feeling his eye twitch at the difficulty the maid showed in showing gratitude towards him, the boy raised his hand to ruffle his hair</p>
<p>Haru: "it wasn't a big deal... but there's no point in arguing over it if you spoke to Reinhard about it" he sighed</p>
<p>Extending his hand towards the pink-haired maid, the boy introduced himself. "I'm Haru Tempest, it was nice meeting you"</p>
<p>Hesitating whether to take his hand or not, the maid extended it anyway, "Ram, head of the maids at the Roswaal household. We will be waiting for your arrival." she says as the two exchange a handshake,</p>
<p>Pulling her hand, the maid faced Emilia. "Ram will be going ahead to prepare the carriage, please follow Ram shortly after, Emilia-sama" she said while leaving the Loot House</p>
<p>Emilia: "I guess they talked about it while we were outside... Thank you again, Haru. I'm glad I got to meet you," she says</p>
<p>Haru: "You're welcome Emilia, I'll see you again in a few days." he replies</p>
<p>The two exchange another smile before Emilia leaves for the Mansion. Waving his hand at the carriage before it left his view,</p>
<p>Haru: "aurgh, that was tough." he sighed</p>
<p>Recalling everything that happened that day was a chore, he had no time to take everything in. It all piled upon him all of a sudden which explained his feeling of exhaustion,</p>
<p>'<em>Even telling Reinhard about the insignia glowing in Felt's hands gave me a hard time, it looks like Rom didn't take it negatively though and... Ram was nice?!'</em> he thought to himself</p>
<p>Grabbing the young thief by her wrist while she tried to hand over the insignia while stressing her out with a load of questions was what the Sword Saint thought of doing first,</p>
<hr/>
<p>Reinhard: "what is your name?" he asked in urgency</p>
<p>Felt: "i-i'm Felt!" the young girl exclaimed</p>
<p>Reinhard: "I meant, what's your family name? How old are you?" he asked again</p>
<p>Hearing this question Felt gave out an infuriated response "Do I look like I have a family name?! And i-i'm about fifteen. I don't know my exact birthday, now let me go!" the girl exclaimed while trying to be released from the grip of the knight.</p>
<p>'<em>Sadly I have more stuff in common with Felt than with anyone else in this room? That's kinda sad...'</em> he complained</p>
<p>Felt: "h-hey! Big-bro you won't even help me?!" she asked while turning to the white-haired boy</p>
<p>Haru: "u-uhm... about that.." he murmured</p>
<p>A feeling of guilt overloaded Haru's heart when the news that the Insignia glowed in her hands came from him even before they arrived at the loot house,</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "I don't believe it.." he says in a state of shock that his adopted grand-kid would have the qualifications, and was acknowledged by the dragon stone.</p>
<p>Felt: "Believe what?! What are y..ou"</p>
<p>Slipping out of consciousness into the red-haired knight's arms. The girl drifts to sleep.</p>
<p><em>'I just know she's going to get mad when she wakes up tomorrow</em>" he sighed</p>
<hr/>
<p>Approaching the young boy, the sword saint tapped him on the shoulder "ready to leave Haru?" the knight asked.</p>
<p>Haru: "y-yeah, I'm kinda tired. Thanks again for offering me a place to stay for now Reinhard, I owe you one" he replied</p>
<p>Reinhard: "this is my way of repaying you, so it's no problem," he says</p>
<p>Rom had just finished packing up his stuff that could be brought to the van Astrea household, they had agreed that Rom would support Felt if she did agree to join the Royal Selection. Which, he was sure that she would agree to.</p>
<p>Putting the stuff in the carriage that pulled up in front of the Loot house, the group boarded it and made their way towards the mansion.</p>
<p>In the carriage, it was mostly filled with snores. The group was exhausted right after the fight. Depressingly, Rom was the first to fall asleep out of the three. With Haru and Reinhard striking up another conversation before Haru fell asleep too.</p>
<p>Looking at the asleep face of Haru in the carriage, the sword saint giggled, be"Haru really did change the future of this country. My friend truly is amazing," he says</p>
<p>The carriage pulled to a stop, with the group's eyes adjusting to the bright lights that lit up the inside of the carriage as the door opened up. A large mansion, with shrubs decorated around it. Staring at it from the front wasn't enough to fully appreciate its beauty. Large pillars that shoot upwards, with a large courtyard with fountains scattered throughout it. Big gates that lead up to a road before you finally arrive at the front of the mansion.</p>
<p>Stairs that led up to wonderfully decorated doors, and big windows that could easily be mistaken for an entrance. This was the van Astrea family mansion.</p>
<p>Scratching his eyes with his fingers, Haru gasped at the site.</p>
<p>Haru: "I didn't doubt that it would be big... but this is huge! I mean extremely huge! And y-you're letting me s-stay here for a f-few nights?!" the boy exclaimed</p>
<p>Reinhard: "I'm glad you like it, consider this as your second home my friend" he giggled</p>
<p>The Sword Saint's kindness was too much for Haru to bear, he wanted to jump up in joy that he would be able to indulge in luxury even if it was only for a few days.</p>
<p><em>'I'm doing way better than Subaru... what if I join Felt's camp?' </em>he thought to himself,</p>
<p>Now, alone in his guest room. Haru sits by the corner of his bed while listing all the pros and cons of joining her camp. He was stuck on whether or not he would be part of Emilia's camp or in Felt's.</p>
<p>Being a part of Felt's camp provides safety. Being with Reinhard would almost assure him that he wouldn't die, it would work well especially if he didn't have <em>it</em>. Secondly, he would be able to become stronger. He could be trained by Reinhard in combat to be much more powerful and useful. It would also give him a chance to be around people his age. He was only sixteen, and he would be turning seventeen the next month. He and Felt would be around the same age range so Haru wouldn't have a hard time finding something in common with her.</p>
<p>Now, Being a part of the Emilia camp included many more cons than pros. He would have to win the trust of the maids at the Margrave's mansion, whether or not he had the scent of the Witch was unknown to him. The only way he would find out is if he went to the meeting with Emilia's endorser which would take place in a few days. Next, he would have to build a connection with all of the mansion's residents. That included the great spirit that resided in the mansion's library. Save both the mansion and the nearby village from the Witch Cult's attack, formulating a plan to defeat the Sin Archbishop of Sloth. Telling the mercenary team about the White Whales attacks and creating a plan that didn't involve any losses. Find a way to prevent one of the maids from being eaten by another Sin Archbishop, and if that wasn't enough. Find his own solution to the Sanctuary problem.</p>
<p>Though his information regarding the Sanctuary was limited, he wasn't able to completely finish the book since his Master himself hadn't finished it. So he was left on a cliffhanger right after Subaru entered the tomb to get Emilia out.</p>
<p>What he would do with the information he had gained prior to his Isekai was a mystery. He had to think about it hard, he knew the struggles of joining a candidate's camp. In fact, he was considering not being a part of one at all if it would make his life easier.</p>
<p>Haru: "this is tough... I hate it" unable to decide what to do next the boy fell flat on his back on the bed while releasing a long sigh</p>
<p>Staring up at the ceiling above him, he thought about those he's left behind.</p>
<p>Haru: "Shuna... Gobta... Shion... are you guys doing okay?" he wondered</p>
<p>What could have transpired right after he blacked out was something he needed to know. He wanted to know if they were okay, but he knew the power that the Subordinates held was immense. He still couldn't help but worry,</p>
<p>The fact that Ranga, Rimuru, Soeui, and his own Tempest Wolf still hadn't contacted him made him anxious. Was the Mind Link he shared with them cut off since he's in a different world?</p>
<p>Raising his arm to cover his eyes the boy sighed again,</p>
<p>Haru: "but today wasn't that bad..." he says</p>
<p>He knew how things could have turned out if he made one mistake during it all. But it brought him great pride to know that he got through this whole mess in one go.</p>
<p>Haru: "Emilia is... really pretty."</p>
<p>The silver-haired girl he met and read about were the same. All of her features, and mannerisms were exactly like how he read it. His curiosity spiked upon realizing that he would meet other characters as well.</p>
<p>One in particular that excited him the most was the Witch of Greed. Echidna, her thirst for knowledge continued even after her death. He had so many things he wanted to ask her.</p>
<p>
  <em>Is there a way for him to go home?</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Is his family in Tempest doing okay?</em>
</p>
<p>We're his most important ones,</p>
<p>But one question passed his mind. If he connected the dots to Subaru, then he would know that Subaru possibly got brought to Lugunica through the Witch of Envy. Was it possible that he was in the same situation?</p>
<p>Then if so, what was his connection to the witch?</p>
<p>Haru: "let's save that... for another day" he yawned</p>
<p>Pulling the ends of the blanket toward his chest, before closing his eyes to rest. Clearing his mind of any negative thoughts, and taking deep breaths to further relax. Little by Little, Haru Tempest drifted off to sleep.</p>
<p>
  <em>This marked the end of his first day in this new world.</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Waking up to the sounds of shouting wasn't what he expected. Jumping up from the bed he quickly ran towards the door. Turning his head to observe the long hallway before his eyes stopped at one of the doors. Where the old giant and sword saint were,</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "Felt it's okay, at least consider it!" the old man exclaimed while pounding on the door,</p>
<p>Reinhard: "Felt-sama, if you won't come out then please listen..." the knight added</p>
<p>Walking towards the two while attempting to fix his hair, the boy asked "what's wrong? What was that all about?" he asked</p>
<p>Turning his head towards the locked door he mouthed out an "oh" He had considered the reaction of the girl when she woke up the night before. It was exactly like how he imagined it would be,</p>
<p>In a quiet tone, the boy whispered, "did you tell her about it?" he asked the sword saint, Responding with a slight nod. The boy approached the door and knelt in front of it,</p>
<p>Haru: "hey Felt, wanna come out and talk about it?" he asked the girl through the small gap in the door</p>
<p>Felt: "there is no way I'm agreeing to join this damn election! I hate this kingdom! I hate the knights! So why would I want to work for it?!" she exclaimed back</p>
<p>Giving a small sigh, the boy stood up and straightened his back. He closed his eyes before taking a deep breath.</p>
<p>Reinhard: "Haru? What are you doing?" the knight asked in curiosity,</p>
<p>Opening one of his eyes, the boy chuckled. "Going to get her out," he responded.</p>
<p>As if the knight easily understood what the boy said his lips relaxed into a smile. Taking this as a go signal, the boy took a step forward. While casting <strong>Shadow Step</strong> he sank into his own shadow and disappeared.</p>
<p>Emerging from the young girl's own shadow, she screamed in surprise</p>
<p>Felt: "what are you doing?!" she exclaimed</p>
<p>Haru: "I had to adjust since you didn't want to come out" the boy sighed while taking a seat on the floor</p>
<p>Calming herself down, the girl buried her head in her arms "they shouldn't force me to join that stupid election..." she ranted</p>
<p>Haru: "you mentioned that you hated the kingdom right?" the boy asked</p>
<p>Lifting her head up to look at him, Felt nodded. "Yeah... the nobility... the knights... everyone! They didn't care when we were starving... they didn't care about us at all!" she exclaimed</p>
<p>Haru: "I get that you're mad... but if you hate the kingdom that much. Then use that as your reason to become king" the boy added</p>
<p>Shooting up her head, the girl gave him a confused look "what? Didn't you hear what I said? I do-"</p>
<p>Haru: "I heard you, loud and clear. But hear me out, if you don't like how things are done, then give your all to change it" the boy interrupts</p>
<p>The two stared at each other for a moment, before he continued</p>
<p>Haru: "if you hate the way the kingdom treats the poor, then become king and make sure it never happens again."</p>
<p>Felt: "become king..." she thought about the boy's words</p>
<p>Haru: "If you become king, you can change how this kingdom works. Things could work in your favor if you do so." he adds</p>
<p>Standing up from the ground as Haru dusted off his pants, he offered the girl a hand. Pausing for a while before she extended hers and Haru pulled her up to her feet.</p>
<p>Felt: "you're right... yeah, that's exactly what I'll do," the girl said</p>
<p>Shooting her a bright smile, the boy giggled "that's good, hear that Reinhard? She agreed" the boy says while opening the door,</p>
<p>Reinhard: "Haru... Felt-sama, I would be more than glad to serve you. I'm happy that you came to a conclusion," he says while smiling at the girl,</p>
<p>Felt: "yeah yeah... as long as Old Man Rom can be part then I won't have any issues..." she pouted</p>
<p>Hearing this, the old man giggled. "Why would I not support you? Felt-sama" he teased</p>
<p>The three shared a laugh over the old man's words. It was official, Felt wouldn't back out of the Royal Selection.</p>
<p>Is this what you wanted, Haru?</p>
<p>'<em>That solves that I guess'</em></p>
<p>After a whole night of not arriving at any conclusion at all. This small talk helped him in making his decision of what he would do next. He loved to help, he wanted to help people. He was slowly getting used to not being around monsters. Little by little, he started to enjoy the new atmosphere he was in.</p>
<p>Maybe it wasn't so bad here after all.</p>
<p>
  <strong>TO BE CONTINUED</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Next Chapter: Ways of A Knight</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Ways of A Knight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Ceremony to welcome him into the Imperial knights is in a few hours. As he panics over how to act, he's given a big offer by a popular noble in the area.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <b>Arc 1: Straight Out of the Book</b>
  </em>
</p><p>It would only be a few hours until Haru and Reinhard had to report to the castle. You would think he would ecstatic about this important event. It was the second step to his plan of reuniting with those he loved,</p><p>After a load of overthinking, analyzing, and envisioning. He decided that he would take up the maid's request to come by the mansion in a few days' time to claim his reward for saving the princess. Although he wouldn't receive it immediately, it could be his only shot at <em>having a calm mind,</em></p><p>His request would be for him to be a part of the Margrave's household. Exactly one month after that, if this world followed what the novel said, then they would have to go to the Sanctuary. One person he absolutely needed to see, was the Witch who yearned for everything. The Witch who even beyond her death sought out knowledge, no amount of books would be able to satisfy her hunger for it. The Witch of Greed herself, Echidna.</p><p>For Haru, who in some aspects mirrored the witch. A part of him knew that there was no way of going home, but unless all of his options were gone, he wouldn't give up... and even if he didn't want to accept it, just being provided the reason why he was here in the first place would satisfy him.</p><p>So, even if he had to endure all of that bullshit Subaru went through. He would walk through hell and back just to get back to them. Just like Echidna, he yearned and longed for something.</p><p>It would be up to our own interpretation of what Haru's vision of 'home' was. Was his home the family he left behind? Was his home anywhere that was at peace? or perhaps his 'home' were people he had long forgotten. Even he didn't know,</p><p>All he knew was being with Reinhard wouldn't be able to help him achieve his goal. He adored and looked up to the red-haired knight, but he wouldn't be at peace with himself if he knew solutions to big problems but not do anything to stop it. He wouldn't be at peace with himself if he didn't get the answers he wanted.</p><p>So with a deep breath, Haru Tempest looked at the mirror and his mouth dropped with amusement,</p><p>Haru: "Puck wasn't joking... I really am well built!" he exclaimed</p><p>Through the cloth of his new uniform, it was obvious that Haru was the type to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. As a goblin, he possessed a well-built body after he was given his name. In fact, it completely confused enemies whenever they would see him. The young goblin would have a child-like face, he wasn't as tall or as muscular as the other popular subordinates like Benimaru or Rigurd. But there was no doubt that he was well built.</p><p>The uniform of the kingdom's imperial knights fit him right away, it was as if he was meant to wear it. Although switching out of his black sleeveless top made by the girl he liked was a hard thing to do. He had grown a liking to the kingdom's uniform.</p><p>Although he admired his new look, one thing caught him off guard.</p><p>Haru: "w-what's with my hair! I walked around looking like this?!" he gasped</p><p>Running his fingers through his hair that surprisingly reached his shoulder, the boy giggled. "i-it's longer than usual... why?" he asked himself,</p><p>Although having his hair stay that long would most certainly need to cut it one day, so why not now? Picking up a pair of scissors from the drawer, he slowly cut the ends of his hair. Making it as presentable as possible, but with his lack of skill in cutting hair, it had become slightly uneven in the back. With his front bangs covering his face he trimmed it off but decided to leave its corner strands alone by tucking it behind his ear.</p><p>Walking back towards the mirror, he analyzed his new hairstyle. "Woah... I suck, definitely need to get it cut by a professional next time" he sighed</p><p>Putting his hands to his hips as he inspected himself one more time, the soon to be knight gasped,</p><p>Haru: "I-I look pretty old too..." he pondered</p><p>While caressing his cheeks, he noticed a minor change in his appearance. Other than the obvious change from dark green to a tan white. His eyes had become naturally slanted and would often give off a gentle and kind aura. From his dark black eye color, it became a light grey one.</p><p>Practicing a few smiles in the mirror, he noticed the same two sharp teeth on his mouth that he had as a goblin. His face now fit him better,</p><p>But still feeling defeated by his unsuccessful attempt of cutting his hair, he sat back down to the corner of his bed. Anxiety taking over him as he thought over the ceremony that would take place later that day,</p><p>Haru: "crap... what if I mess up?" he questioned, mess up his walk? mess up how he should act? what could he possibly mess up?</p><p>Thinking back to the novels when Subaru declared himself as a knight, and as a result, got his ass handed to him. Tarnishing his pride and his reputation with the knights, Haru didn't want to make the same mistake.</p><p>Releasing a long sigh before Haru jumped up to his feet in an enthusiastic manner and walked down the stairs of the van Astrea household. With his sword attached to his side, and his master's mask attached to the opposite side. The boy walked toward the dragon carriage parked outside, "I definitely won't mess up" he says</p><p>"took you long enough! come on!" the voice exclaimed,</p><p>Peeking her head out of the carriage, the girl with golden-hair waved her hands in the air to catch the attention of the boy.</p><p>Haru: "I shouldn't hear that from you! took you enough convincing just to get out of your room Felt-chan!" the boy giggled</p><p>Pulling Felt's head back into the carriage, the hand of a certain giant waved back at him "you look good young-ru!" the old giant exclaimed</p><p>Haru: "thanks Rom-san!" the boy said</p><p>Approaching behind him in the kingdom's knight uniform, the sword saint pat Haru on the shoulders with both of his hands.</p><p>Reinhard: "ready, Haru?" the sword saint asked the boy</p><p>With a big smile, the boy nodded "I am, let's go " he replied</p><p>While exchanging a smile, the two entered the carriage. With the driver whipping the reigns of the dragon, they took off toward the castle. Passing by the beautifully designed mansions that were owned by nobles, and extravagant carriages scattered around them. For the first time, Haru looked at the capital with admiration. With bright lights reflecting from his grey eyes, the capital shined with bright colors. This was the beauty of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica. In a few hours, he would be a knight serving under it,</p><p><em>'hopefully, Rimuru-sama would understand'</em> he thought to himself,</p><hr/><p>???: "The boy would soon become part of the Kingdom Knights, and due to his skill in combat and quick thinking..." The man trailed off</p><p>???: "and his recommendation from Reinhard! the sword saint himself! he will join the Royal Guard as well Nya!" a younger boy, with a higher-pitched tone voice said in a joyful manner,</p><p>???: "the sword saint..." the man murmured</p><p>Inside their carriage, the group exchanged information they have acquired about the boy. And the three continued to chat. With each new detail, they quenched a portion of their curiosity</p><p>???: "I see, so this boy isn't normal at all is he? I'm quite surprised, that someone as young as him could be that interesting that the Sword Saint recommended him to the knights. What else has he done?" the woman asked the boy sitting across from her,</p><p>Sinking into deep thought, the boy let out a soft "hmm"</p><p>???: "from what I know, he rivaled Elsa and survived" the boy exclaimed</p><p>Raising his eyebrow in disbelief, the old man shook this off as he replied, "survived? that wasn't what I heard. Did he not beat her?" the man asked</p><p>Widening her eyes in shock, the woman covered her mouth with her hand "so the Bowel Hunter is dead, I think I see why he is so interesting..." she says</p><p>Looking up to the sky from her window, the woman let out a sigh,</p><p>???: "I have much to ask you, Haru Tempest," the woman says</p><p>The trio's carriage slowly made their way into the capital castle. With the view of the carriage disappearing into the busy streets of Lugnica.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>crap crap crap crap</em>
</p><p>Frantically panicking in the VIP room Haru was asked to stay in, he tried to calm himself down by walking in circles around the room. Haru wasn't exactly the type to attract attention. But he was the vice-captain of the Goblin Riders in Tempest, whenever he would patrol the streets of the kingdom, other goblins and monsters would greet him with a smile, addressing him by his position in one of the main military forces of Jura Tempest. He was respected by everyone and higher class monsters like Hakurou and Souei saw potential in him, he would even receive compliments from Rimuru himself.</p><p>But he would always get so flustered whenever he was treated that way, it wasn't that he hated it. He just didn't know how to react to it. So the ceremony later would no doubt overwhelm him,</p><p>Felt: "jus' calm down big bro! still don't get why you need to panic so much over it," the young girl said to the boy,</p><p>Old Man Rom: "exactly young-ru, why are you so worried about it anyway?" the old giant asked,</p><p>Haru: "Felt-chan... Rom-san, I've never attended a ceremony before! eurgh I'm gonna fucking puke!" the boy gagged,</p><p>In a comedic way, Haru dropped to his knees and covered his mouth, making the old giant giggle,</p><p>Felt: "t-that's disgusting!" the young girl exclaimed while turning away from the horrendous sight,</p><p>Felt: " but who knew you would be a shy type, you seemed pretty confident while protecting us against Elsa," she added</p><p>Old Man Rom: "yeah, you sort of scared us with your little fire magic y'got"</p><p>Giving a long sigh, Haru faced the two, "I sort of scared myself using it too... and obviously, it would destroy me if someone dies under my protection, I'd be so guilty I might just wish for death,"</p><p>The boy crossed his arms and sat down by the coach beside Felt and continued, "a-and fighting and ceremonies are completely different things! why would you compare them.." he asked</p><p>Felt: "I don't know much about ceremonies myself, but I think you'd do great." the girl reassured him,</p><p>Old Man Rom: "same here, and Reinhard told you what to do right?" he asked</p><p>Putting his finger over his lips, Haru sank in thought. "yeah, I'd kneel, offer my sword, and then say the oath." he replied</p><p>Felt: "see? you got it! it doesn't sound that confusing now does it? " the young girl exclaimed</p><p>Haru: "You make it sound simpler than how it actually is, I can't believe every person who holds the title of Knight has to go through this," he sighed again,</p><p>Old Man Rom: "I think it's pretty cool. No, it's an honor. I mean think about it young-ru, you're own talents got recognized by the van Astrea family head. "</p><p>Sinking into his own seat, Haru covered the small blush that appeared on his face from embarrassment, "e-exactly... which is why I can't mess up, I mean imagine being complimented by the Kingdom's hero... How was I supposed to react to it?" he asked</p><p>Felt: "dunno about that big bro, but I guess you should start getting used to being complimented like that." she replied</p><p>Old Man Rom: "There's so much about you that's admirable, don't you receive treatment like this back at home?" the old giant asked</p><p>Felt: "what he said, and it looks like you're new to serving under a kingdom. So is that what you're panicking about?"</p><p>Feeling the pressure of the personal investigation the two did on the boy, it made him swallow his own breath,</p><p>Haru: "It's not that I wasn't acknowledged, there was a ton of uhm... gifted people in my place, and I practically served under the military force of my home town... this isn't all that new to me. But we didn't need any ceremonies just so we'd be acknowledged for our titles... people would just c-catch on to the idea that our role was to protect and provide order in the city..." he answered</p><p>Hearing the words of the young boy, the two jumped up in their seats. With more possible questions that they wanted to ask him,</p><p>Felt: "eh?! but aren't you like sixteen?! how old were you when you started serving?!"</p><p>Old Man Rom: "gifted people?! you were such a monster against the bitch, you're saying there were stronger people than you?!"</p><p>The questions came one by one. "w-wait wait! you're making me panic about it again!" he exclaimed while raising both of his hands to stop the two,</p><p>Haru: "for uhm, Felt-chan's question. I was about... 14? Crap I don't really know, but I would hit my third year in serving after a few months... So I guess two and a half years?" he answered in an unsure tone,</p><p>Haru: "and yeah... I wasn't the strongest at all, I mean they saw potential in the group I helped to lead, but we still have a lot of room for improvement."</p><p>Old Man Rom: "for some reason, I felt threatened when I heard you say you weren't the strongest... but that just means Lugnica is fortunate to have you, Young-ru" the old man giggled,</p><p>Felt: "yeah big bro, don't worry about it anymore. You're going to do great"</p><p>He looked up to the two and smiled. Shooting them both a thumbs up as he stood up from his seat, "thanks Felt-chan, Rom-san... glad you're here to calm me down. You two really helped," the boy said</p><p>Felt: "it's the least I can do... you saved us," the girl said</p><p>Old Man Rom: "yeah... Thank you young-ru, I owe you one. Your healing potion really saved me." the</p><p>Haru: "you're still going on about that? it's okay, don't think about it anymore. I mean I couldn't just stand by and watch you die." the boy replied</p><p>Kneeling down beside the young girl, the boy put his hand to his chest and did a courtesy bow,</p><p>Haru: "I'm going to become a part of the Royal Guard, things like what happened yesterday won't happen anymore. I'm going to put stop it before it causes more trouble" the boy proclaimed</p><p>Felt: "hmph... and there you were running around in circles trying to wrap your brain around how to act at the ceremony" the little girl giggled,</p><p>Seeing the demeanor of the young boy, a smile curled up on the face of the giant,</p><p>Old Man Rom: "Young-ru's going to be a great knight" he mumbled to himself,</p><p>Due to Haru's <strong>Enhanced Hearing </strong>skill, that mumble wrang louder than any normal conversation Haru has had in the past, a warm feeling invaded his chest. Clutching his uniform with his hand, Haru giggled. "yeah... I'm going to be a great knight."</p><hr/><p>Haru walked along the long carpeted hallway of the Castle, waiting for the ceremony to begin. By this point, Felt and Rom would be sitting at the seats provided to them to watch the ceremony. He was only waiting for the doors to open up for him to make his appearance in front of the Imperial knights,</p><p>That was until someone called out to him,</p><p>???: "there is no doubt that it is you. Haru Tempest, am I correct?" the woman asked from across the hallway,</p><p>Turning his head, his light grey eyes met almond-shaped amber eyes. Observing the woman some more, she had long dark verdant-green hair, and she wore a beautifully decorated long-coat. Similar to what a person with a high-ranking military position would wear, her formal attire made her seem serious and there were signs that she was otherwise,</p><p>Haru: "pardon?" the boy asked</p><p>???: "oh, am I mistaken? I am sure that you fit the description that Ferris told me. " the woman replied while making her way towards the boy in a white uniform,</p><p>Haru: "o-oh, my apologies, I think I may h-have confused you. I am Haru Tempest, a pleasure to finally m-meet you, Crusch-sama," he Introduced himself while bowing in front her</p><p>The woman who he mistook for a military official, wasn't exactly wrong. He had read about her, but it surprised him that they would meet this early. So to his confusion and surprise, he acted as how a Knight should treat someone higher than them, with respect.</p><p>Crusch: "the boy who defeated Elsa Granhiert... who would have known you would have such a timid attitude. I expected you to be more on the rowdy side." she replied,</p><p>Haru: "is that the news that is spreading around? I'm only acting as o-one should if they were going to be a knight."</p><p>Crusch: "that's impressive, for someone your age to achieve this much. It's admirable" she replied,</p><p>Feeling delighted by the woman's compliment, the young knight giggled</p><p>Haru: "thank you, Crusch-sama. But if I may ask, what is your business here in the Castle? from what I've heard, it is quite a long distance to cover just to arrive here." he asked,</p><p>Crusch: "News got to us that a new knight was going to be presented, and that same knight took down the Bowel Hunter. Who wouldn't travel just to witness such an event?" she replied while raising one finger up in the air,</p><p><em>"t-that's it... she just came to watch? there's got to be more to this.."</em> he thought to himself</p><p>Haru: "right, but for you to come out of your way just to meet me... I guess I should be thankful?" the boy replied in an unsure manner,</p><p>The two looked at each other as a small smile curled up on the woman's face. "it seems like you've caught on to what I was planning to do. I guess I made it too obvious, didn't I?" she giggled</p><p>"I'm afraid so, Crusch-sama" another voice replied,</p><p>Walking from the corner of the corridor, out came a man in a black butler suit. With a tall and muscular physique. Bright blue eyes as beautiful as the sky, that reflected wisdom. And white long hair that was combed and tied into one place on his back. He spoke with a humble and gentle demeanor that Haru felt himself relax a bit,</p><p>Crusch: "Wilhelm... I should have asked you to do this," the woman said upon seeing the man walk over to them,</p><p>Wilhelm: "I agree, it would be hard to do it now." he replied</p><p>Wilhelm van Astrea, otherwise known as the Sword Demon. Seeing him Haru immediately remembered Hakurou-sama, they both shared many similarities. From their white hair to their experience and skill with a sword.</p><p>Being in the presence of the great Sword Demon made Haru straighten his back as if he couldn't stand up any straighter. His form had become admirable to the point that Wilhelm himself had to comment on it,</p><p>Wilhelm: "So you are Haru... do not be startled. my name is Wilhelm van Astrea, it is a great pleasure to finally meet you," the man said while extending his hand toward the boy,</p><p>Swallowing his breath, the young knight extended his arm towards him as the two exchange a handshake.</p><p>Haru: "it's such an honor to meet you... Wilhelm-san," the two exchanged a smile</p><p>It brought Haru great joy that he got to meet such an interesting character from the novels. Plus, the difference between Hakurou and Wilhelm were little to none. Although he feared his sensei, being around Wilhelm made him feel safe.</p><p>To Wilhelm, he saw himself in the young boy. He remembered when he was around his age, although the difference may have been their personality. Wilhelm could list all of their similarities and he was sure he would have a long list.</p><p>But what amazed him the most were his eyes. It reflected grey as if devoid of life and happiness. But his own smile and demeanor said otherwise. Then the harsh reality hit him when he found himself unable to let go of the young boy's eyes.</p><p>The eyes that have faced death many times, what did he experience that threatened his life so much? He couldn't wrap his finger around that disturbing discovery. In fact, Wilhelm almost mistook his eyes for the eyes of someone who had already died. Or perhaps, someone who couldn't see the beauty in living?</p><p>Haru believed in one thing if you die, then you die. There's no coming back from it. The world was unmistakenly a cruel place, and death would come for everyone. The only thing that would bring him solace, is if died without leaving others with a sense of guilt. He always joked around about having his last words be "I'm sorry" and everyone back in Tempest was sure that if he did meet his end, he would say it.</p><p>Haru: "Wilhelm-san... is there something wrong?" the boy asked in concern,</p><p>Crusch: "Wilhelm?" the woman added</p><p>Breaking out of his deep thinking, the old man straightened his posture and apologized, "I am terribly sorry, please pay no mind to that. But... if you don't mind me asking, Haru-dono... what have you been doing before coming here?" the man asked</p><p>Hearing this question, Crusch raised an eyebrow.</p><p>Crusch: "you're a foreigner?" she asked</p><p>Feeling his breath stop, Haru looked away from the gaze of the Sword Demon and Princess in front of him, he slowly brought his hand to his ear as his way of coping with the anxiety,</p><p>Haru: "Sort of.. but a fight broke out in my hometown in the past..I-I was part of the main group that would be responsible for the safety of the city... so I sort of participated in it... why?" the young boy replied</p><p>When Wilhelm found out about Haru's familiarity with battles, the old man gave a long sigh</p><p>Wilhelm: "My apologies for asking." he replied</p><p>Giving a nod to the green-haired woman beside him, she lowered her head before taking a deep breath,</p><p>Crusch: "Haru Tempest-san, I am giving you a one time offer. Right after your ceremony today, I propose that you come home with me." The woman said with a determined look</p><p>Hearing this, Haru's face scrunched up in confusion, "g-go home with you?" he asked</p><p>Noticing the error in his master's words, the sword demon turned away from the two. Secretly trying to hide his laugh. On the other hand, Crusch quickly waved her hands in a panic to correct her words</p><p>Crusch: "That was a mistake on my part! What I meant was-"</p><p>Wilhelm: "what my master meant to say was, she wants to offer you a place in her household," the old man said out of pity for his master.</p><p>Crusch: "indeed, I want to offer you a place in my camp, I'm sure you are aware of my goals, am I right?" she asked</p><p>Nodding in agreement Haru thought back to what he read about Crusch's ultimate goal for running in the Election,</p><p><em>"crap... it's like a quiz, what's with all the questions..." </em>he complained</p><p>Crusch stated that the Kingdom of Lugnica is too dependant on the dragon named Volcanica, and she wants to break the contract between the two. So the country may learn to fight on its own and become independent,</p><p>As much as Haru wants to agree with her, he can't say much since it was basically addressed that their Master's powers were derived from the Storm Dragon Veldora. And that he was named using the magicules of that powerful being,</p><p>
  <em>"volcanica... veldora... are they siblings?! they sound alike!"</em>
</p><p>The only thing that prevented other nations from attacking Lugnica would be the presence of the dragon, and undoubtedly the most powerful being in this universe Reinhard van Astrea. His name is known throughout the continent, and only a few people could rival him. Well... they could rival him but they would still lose in the end, the power Reinhard held was beyond understanding.</p><p>Haru: "while I do sort of agree with you on that, the Royal Family is gone and the kingdom is vulnerable to attacks since the dragon hasn't shown up. We are too reliant on it" he replied</p><p>A grin forming on the woman's lips, she quickly replied "I'm glad you think the same way. So, do you accept?"</p><p>Haru paused,</p><p>
  <em>"crap..."</em>
</p><p>Haru: "I erm... It's such an honor to be given an offer like this but... I'm afraid I have to decline, instead, I'll promise something else" He said while turning his eyes away from her gaze</p><p>Feeling disappointed by the response of the boy, Crusch sighed. "well... I should have known it would be difficult to get you to agree. But... what do you promise?" she asked</p><p>Silence filled the hallway as they waited for the boy's response, Crusch looked over to Wilhelm with a confused look before Haru spoke up,</p><p>Haru: "even if I don't serve under you... even if I serve under another camp. I will treat you, and your camp with the highest amount of respect. I'll lend you a hand if you ever need it, I admire your drive and your goals, but there is someone else I plan to dedicate my sword to... But even so, feel free to come to me if you get into trouble," he replied</p><p>The two's eyes widening in shock at the boy's offer, but Crusch still had a confused look. Wilhelm, being the old and wise man that he is. Caught onto what Haru's promise really is,</p><p>Crusch: "what do you mean by that?" she asked while tilting her head,</p><p>Haru: "to put it in simpler terms, I'm asking to be your comrade. even if hell breaks loose, I'll promise to show you favor until the end. is that fine with you?" he asked</p><p>Finally realizing what he meant, Crusch turned away in embarrassment at her own shallowness. Leaving Wilhelm trying to hold in his giggle,</p><p>Wilhelm: "Haru-dono, your stutter disappears when you aren't embarrassed. Your words were filled with determination, and I don't even sense any sign that you plan on breaking this promise. I think that's quite a giveaway that you're trying to confess to a Crusch-sama," the old man proclaimed</p><p>Haru: "w-what!? that wasn't a confession... i-it was just... an offer! " he exclaimed with his face growing bright red,</p><p>Wilhelm: "I was only joking, but Crusch-sama I suggest you take him up on this. Haru-dono is a reliable and trustworthy young man," the old man said with a smile,</p><p>Haru: "you c-can tell all t-that from just a small p-proclamation?" he asked,</p><p>Wilhelm: "Not quite, but I must say you have a way with words. I even got captivated with it" he joked</p><p>Finally fixing her form, the green-haired woman faced the young knight and extended her hand,</p><p>Crusch: "The way you phrased it really confused me but... I don't see any problem with your offer" she replied with a small smile curling up on her lips</p><p>She stretched hand and the two shook hands once more. Exchanging each other a smile, "You better keep your word, Haru" she replied,</p><p>Haru: "Don't expect me to back out on my word, and calling me by my name already? you have no shame, Crusch" the boy giggled,</p><p>Crusch: "and you're quite bold to address me without my formality, I take back my first impression of you being timid, maybe you would fit more along the lines of being reckless,"</p><p>Haru: "making assumptions that I'm reckless when we haven't fought alongside each other yet, that's kinda funny" he giggled</p><p>Crusch: "oh? are you planning to aid me in battle in the near future?" she asked</p><p>The subjugation would take place in one month, so he had a month worth of preparation if he did choose to participate. That week would no doubt be one of the most troublesome moments of his life and in the novels,</p><p>Haru: "possibly, if you ask me for help then, of course, I'd do it" he replied,</p><p>Wilhelm: "Haru-dono, you really are a remarkable man" he complimented,</p><p>Haru felt another warm feeling in his chest, that started to rise all the way to his face. Making him grow red. He was so confused whenever he would get that warm feeling, He felt it with Rom and Felt, and now he was feeling it with Crusch and Wilhelm. Perhaps it was them marking their territory in Haru's heart? were they considered special to him this early on?</p><p>If so, then Haru is easily pleased. It would get the best of him one day. Even if he denied the candidate's offer to be a part of her camp, he gained favor from the Sword Demon. And he triggered a friendship between her camp that would surely grow as time passes,</p><p>
  <em>"I guess it's sort of a good idea"</em>
</p><p>So far, Haru Tempest had no regrets.</p><hr/><p>Walking into the throne room, everyone's eyes quickly shifted onto the white-haired boy. Wearing the same uniform as they did, he had his sword strapped to his side. He walked with confidence, but at the same time humility. He walked formally, but he looked so elegant at the same time.</p><p>He looked prideful, yet he had a completely calm and reserved demeanor. His smile captivated the maiden nobles who were given permission to watch the ceremony. And his attitude strikes the interest of multiple nobles who were looking for a knight to protect them.</p><p>The rumors that spread throughout the kingdom about a boy who's power was greater than the infamous and seemingly immortal Elsa Granhiert was here in front of them. They didn't know whether to fear him or applaud him for his deed.</p><p>Elsa had killed hundreds of citizens and a lot of knights who have tried to face off against her, and now this strange boy comes and deals with her alone? No one would blame them if they were suspicious of him,</p><p>???: "so this is the kid who defeated her alone?"</p><p>???: "there's no way..."</p><p>???: "You said it was a girl?"</p><p>???: "dumb idiot, that's in another kingdom!"</p><p>???: "so he really did do it huh..."</p><p>???: "obviously, why would you doubt the words of the Sword Saint?"</p><p>The knights broke into their own groups to stir up conversations about the boy.</p><p>Beside him, was the Sword Saint who found this boy in the first place. He gave an apologetic bow to the boy as they made their way to the center,</p><p>Reinhard: "Sorry Haru, the news spread more than I expected" he sighed</p><p>Giving a side glance to the Sword Saint, Haru giggled "it's okay, I should have known that it would become this big" he replied</p><p>The crowd's murmurs continued as they made their way through the crimson carpet. The empty throne in front of them was replaced with another figure in full armor. The large man with stern features and light green hair stood with such power that upon meeting his blue eyes, Haru felt the hair at the back of his neck stand up.</p><p>???: "Silence! May I have your attention!" the man exclaimed</p><p>Instantly the busy knights stood upright. The conversations halted, with four words the man had the whole room under his control. He no doubt had a strict personality, the man in front of him took his job seriously. And Haru looked up to him for that,</p><p>This man was the Captain of the Royal Guard, the Knight Commander. He was the leader who was responsible for the safety of the Royal Family. The one and only</p><p>Reinhard: "Sir Marcos Gildark," the red-haired knight said</p><p>Following the instructions, Haru put his knee to the ground as he bows his head. All the ceremonial customs he was asked to do took control of his body. He kept his eyes closed to immerse himself in the atmosphere generated by the knights behind him. Bathing himself in their presence,</p><p>Reinhard left the scene to align himself with the other knights who were watching the ceremony, Haru looked up to the commander as he reached for his new blade, unsheathing it before presenting it before him.</p><p>Marcos picked it up by its handle before pointing its tip toward the ceiling. Paying no mind to the weight of Haru's sword, he brandished the sword in the air with grace. Planting the flat side of the sword to his left shoulder, before moving it to his right.</p><p>Feeling the weight of the sword on his shoulders, he wanted to shout. Not from the physical weight of the sword, but from the mental stress that he would already feel when he would be given the title of knight. This was the sensation that every knight must bear, it was called 'pride'.</p><p>It amazed Haru the fact that everyone in that room was once in his place, did they feel the same way? He felt the eyes of the other knights focused on him, making him feel uneasy. How did they stand this?</p><p>It saddens him that he was offered this position so easily, for defeating a threat that didn't cause too much trouble for him other than leaving him with less mana. He would be worthy enough of becoming a knight. He just couldn't accept that things had been going this well for him,</p><p>It was until Marcos began to recite the ceremonial rite</p><p>Marcos: "To the sun that gazes over the radiant world, to the stars that watch the realm in its sleep. To the winds, to the waters, to the earth, to the light, to the spirits residing in everything. To the grand world that received you, that nurtured you, that delivered you."</p><p>Haru felt his breath halt, who would have known that these beautifully written words would be recited by a commander to an aspiring knight?! It would be more fitting if it came from a master to their personal knight, is what he thought.</p><p>Marcos: "To the pride that supports you, that you built, that you fostered. To everything that watches over you, to the world that raised you, to the pride that supports you, let your way cast no shame. Without fear, without dread, without doubt, be as you are in your heart."</p><p>and with that, the right ends. The big questions were coming up next. Swallowing the saliva at the back of his throat, Haru prepared himself to recite the oath,</p><p>Marcos: "With your will always strong, and as everything that surrounds you does, will you swear to protect this kingdom from this moment forth? Will you dedicate your all for the growth and for the citizens of this nation? Will you give your all to create order and peace in this land? Will you, Haru Tempest give your life up for the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica?"</p><p>Silence fell upon the room, and only he was required to break it,</p><p>Haru: "<em>For the Kingdom and for its people...</em></p><p><em>My name is Haru Tempest, and I promise to protect and serve this country with all my might. To dedicate to its growth and prosperity. I will give my all to ensure peace among the citizens, and I will gladly give up my life for this purpose. As of now, I am a knight of the Kingdom of Lugnica." </em>the young boy proclaimed,</p><p>Hearing the oath of the young knight, Marcos lifts the sword from his shoulder and hands it back to him. He respectfully received it and put it back in its sheath. He slowly stood up, and two men who he assumed were high ranking officers made their way over towards the boy.</p><p>They slowly took off the white cape, revealing the black high-necked long-sleeved shirt underneath, before one of them opened their hand as another long cape unravels itself,</p><p>They quickly opened it up and placed it on the shoulders of the young-knight. The white cape was decorated with crests and badges of the kingdom, this was proof that he really was a knight serving under it.</p><p>So with great pride, Haru put his hand to his chest and delivered a bow to the officials. Before turning his body to face the knights. He took a few steps forward before repeating the same action in front of them, and to his surprise. The knights greeted him back with a bow. With a big smile, Haru felt ever grateful for his acquired title,</p><p>
  <em>"Haru Tempest of the Imperial Knights, sounds good"</em>
</p><p>and that marked the end of the ceremony.</p><p>
  <b>TO BE CONTINUED</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Next Chapter: Interlude 1- A Sight to See</b>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Interlude 1: A Sight to See</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Haru's first assignment as an Imperial Knight is to patrol the Kingdom of Lugnica. They discover a small mess that could lead to an infamous hidden company of illegal slavers.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this is a short interlude and preview of what is going to happen in a future mini arc</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> <b>Arc 1: Straight Out of the Book</b> </em>
</p><p>Right after the seemingly unbearable amount of anxiety and pressure given to him, he finally sat back on his chair and took a long sigh. As of now, he was a knight serving under the kingdom of Lugnica. To him, this was a necessary step to take in order to win everyone's trust.</p><p>It would be difficult for him to be able to meet the Witch of Greed if he were just some random boy who came along with Emilia's camp on their way to the Sanctuary. At least if he were a knight, the issues of struggling to gain the trust of people in the mansion, and other people who he may need assistance from soon won't be a problem.</p><p>The only thing that would trouble him now would be the regular on-duty strolls he would have to take around the kingdom. Part of his job as an Imperial Knight would be to take care of any trouble that would happen around his area of responsibility, how ironic would it be for his first day of patrolling to be the day he was knighted?</p><p>Haru: "this wasn't what I expected at all..." he sighed</p><p>Walking around the capital in his uniform, the new knight earned amazed looks from the citizens he would pass by. Though it confused him why he was earning this much attention, he paid no mind to it and continued on his patrol.</p><p>He did come to understand the beauty of the capital, he openly addressed his disgust for the place just the day before. But now, he would even find himself basking in the radiant sun. It wasn't long until he realized he had reached a set of stairs. To quench his curiosity, he proceeded to climb up,</p><p>Haru: "crap... w..hy.. is...it...so...h..igh up" he complained while panting</p><p>After what seemed like an endless loop of bringing his left and right foot to step up, he had finally arrived,</p><p>Haru: "woah..." he gasped</p><p>This day possibly couldn't get any more surprising, he thought. When he arrived he was greeted by a beautiful view of the Capital. He felt like he was on the top on top of the world, or at least it recreated that feeling. The calming breeze brought a smile to his face as his hair gets blown away by the wind. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath, before opening it to indulge in the beautiful scenery, Haru felt himself relax. It was a sight to see,</p><p>Haru: "definitely going to be a reading spot," he remarked</p><p>He could already see himself sitting there, perhaps reading a book while eating a burger from the shop he had passed by earlier. Having time to himself was never a bad idea, but it crossed his mind if he would ever be able to bring anyone to that place.</p><p>The place he saw from up there was magical, he felt nostalgic. He was already aware of his love for beautiful sceneries. In fact, he had a spot just like this back in Tempest. The hill that overlooked the entire kingdom, he had seen its growth since day one. And he would come back to that hill every day to watch the sunset, He found joy in little things like that.</p><p>As much as he wanted to stay up there and list down everything he saw from that view, he had a job to do.</p><p>Haru: "augh, let's save it for another time. I have a job to do" the boy sighed</p><p>Stretching his arms as he dragged his feet down the stairs, bidding goodbye to the lovely place he swore to return to. He went back to strolling the streets, He didn't want to make it obvious that he was sort of slacking off on the job, so whatever small items or clothes he bought during his stroll were immediately hid in his shadow. He basically had infinite storage space for his stuff, easy for transport or on the go adventures. How lucky, right?</p><p>wrong, if he forgets that he had hidden it in his shadow it would end up somewhere else. So as he walked he chanted out the items he bought.</p><p>Haru: "book... necklace... another book...flowers... clothes" he repeated these over and over,</p><p>One book about the ancient stories of the world he was put in, and sadly one book that taught young kids how to read and write. A necklace that would remind him of his Furry Companion, a small monster tooth hanging by a metallic rope. Flowers, particularly blue Campanulas.</p><p>It wasn't that he planned on asking a girl out, it just struck his attention that these type of flowers were sold during this time of the year. And lastly clothes, he only had one pair of clothes coming here. So buying more surely was a need,</p><p>Other than being given the title of knight, he was given a reward provided by the Kingdom. Exactly 500 sacred gold coins, which was the most valuable coin in the four known coins of the country. Even if he tried turning it down, Marcos insisted he takes it as the kingdom's way of thanking him for getting rid of a great threat. Much to his knowledge, Haru would be responsible for getting rid of bigger threats to the country,</p><p>So it joyed him that now, he would be living a lavish life, he would be getting paid regularly for doing his job. He would get assigned on missions too, and he would be respected.</p><p>But... he was still homeless,</p><p>Haru: " thank God Reinhard is letting me stay for another night,"</p><p>Tomorrow would be the day he would ask the Margrave for a place in his household, so that would solve the last of his problems. The next day after that, he would get rid of the beasts that would come to the village, and he would be stress-free to prepare for other incoming trouble in the next month, It sounds like a ton of work but he was Enthusiastic that he'd be able to balance out all those responsibilities enforced on him, it did give him a chance of going home. Right?</p><p>'Patrolling' the Kingdom didn't seem like such a hard job, unless something does happen then he practically has that day to himself. He did joke around about finding someone who gets Isekaid like him, but this time he would be the Reinhard that would help them out.</p><p>In a one-in-a-million chance that it did happen, he'd be happy to help them out. Unless they were clearly involved in something sinister or problematic would he turn a blind eye to it. He definitely wouldn't want another load of problems on his shoulders,</p><p>One thing he noticed about the kingdom was its population. No place was ever empty, he was sure he heard Reinhard mention that Lugnica had a population of over fifty million people. Compared to Tempest which only housed one million monsters. It was hard for him to believe that there were so many people, and yet its setting was still in the medieval ages. Who knows how many people there would be in five, ten, twenty years time. It's not like he would know,</p><p>He only had a few hours left on his shift until he had to report to the Guard Station by the nobles district. Then, he would grab Lunch with Crusch's Camp, they had announced that they would-be comrades. Offering each other assistance and back up if they ever needed it, so they used his free time as a way to get to know each other better. He had already met the princess' knight earlier that day,</p>
<hr/><p>???: "Congratulations, Haru-kyun!" the young-man exclaimed</p><p>Running towards the new knight, he quickly chomped on his ear making him shout in surprise,</p><p>Haru: "huh?! w-wait that h-hurt! who even...!? are...you?" he trailed off</p><p>Turning his head toward the source of his ear pain, his mouth dropped.</p><p>???: "oh? nyow I see! you really are as shy as Reinhard says you are!" he exclaimed</p><p>The knight with flax colored hair and yellow eyes, a sign of demi-human blood present in their physique. They had cat ears and a tail, and two white and blue ribbons on opposite sides of their hair,</p><p>With Haru's face brightening and shifting into a smile, he quickly bowed in front of the knight.</p><p>Haru: "aah! it's nice to meet you! Ferri-chan!" he exclaimed,</p><p>Ferris: "Ferri-chan didn't expect this reaction from you! other people would have been mad, but you really are different, aren't you Haru-kyun? Nice to meet you too!" the knight giggled</p><p>Straightening his form, he extended his hand toward the knight as the two exchanged a friendly gesture,</p><p>Ferris: "what's wrong? you look pleased to be shaking my hand." he asked</p><p>Haru: "how do I say this...? I was s-surprised to turn around and see you, and your cat ears didn't h-help either," he sighed</p><p>Furrowing his brows, Ferris spoke up "do you have something against Demi-humans?" she asked</p><p>Haru: "no! not at all! in fact, I found you cute. s-sorry if you interpreted it that way Ferri-chan, I didn't m-mean any harm by it" he apologized with a hint of red all over his face from embarrassment</p><p>With a sincere expression, Ferris broke into a giggle</p><p>Ferris: "Ferri-chan knows she's cute, but thanks for pointing it out nya! But it's so funny seeing you get flustered over this!" he giggled</p><p>Haru: "o-obviously I wouldn't want to get on your bad s-side when we first meet."</p><p>Ferris: "you know ferri-chan was just joking right? but I'm glad to know that now," he giggled</p><p>Bringing his hand to cover his face as he looked away, leaving Ferris looking for other ways to tease the boy. Another knight approached the two,</p><p>Reinhard: "ah, I see. You two have met I'm guessing?" he asked</p><p>Stopping in front of the two knights who were shorter than him, a smile appeared on his face seeing his two friends converse with each other,</p><p>Haru: "you two know each other?" he asked</p><p>Even if Haru knew that the two knights in front of him shared multiples experiences with each other. He decided to act clueless and ask anyway,</p><p>Ferris: "of course! Reinhard and I did a bunch of missions together in the past Nya! maybe one day we could have one with you Haru-kyun." he exclaimed while striking a pose</p><p>Reinhard: "Ferris and I have worked together in the past. But he's right, I'll request a mission for all three of us to go on one day," he says with a bright smile</p><p>Ferris: "Julius should come too, Haru-kyun you'd like him!"</p><p>Haru: "if you say so... I'll be waiting on that mission, Reinhard." he replied</p><p>The three shared a smile at their formed friendship, and it joyed Reinhard that his two friends were starting a friendship of their own. And the possibility of Julius to joining the bunch made him happier,</p>
<hr/><p>It didn't go so well after that, the rest of Crusch's Camp arrived and Reinhard immediately excused himself to go anywhere else. Unclear to Haru why Reinhard would leave the moment they came, he figured it would be answered another day. His only lead is the two weren't on good terms. In the novels, he noticed that Reinhard and Wilhelm would never strike a conversation with each other even if they both shared the last name.</p><p>But whatever issues involved the two, He could only wish them luck. Hopefully, fate would bless them and all their family-related issues would be solved.</p><p>Pushing that thought aside, he was constantly thinking about how others would react to his death. Death was almost a driving plot-point in the novels, so there was no mistake that he would meet his end here too. Though he wouldn't mind if it did happen, he would love it if he died without any regrets or any worries. Who wouldn't want to eternally rest and be at peace after their death? He clearly doesn't know what that felt like, he was sure he had died in the past, but life was either cruel or considerate enough to bless or curse him with another life when he got reincarnated. If life was just a loop of birth and death over and over, then there's no sense in living. If that loop ever came to an end, then he would say he lived a good life.</p><p>He was around the less populated area of the Capital. This would be his last area to patrol before he could report to the Guard Station. Until something caught his eye, the knight stopped in his tracks, turning his head to the side he saw a girl with her head buried in her arms,</p><p>Haru: "what's going on?" he asked himself,</p><p>How ironic was it for something this shocking to happen during his first day?</p><p>Haru: "jeez..." he complained</p><p>It took a few seconds of convincing himself that he should help the girl, he approached her in a calm manner to not startle her. Putting his knee to the ground as he asked the girl what was wrong,</p><p>Haru: "hey, what's the matter? are you in any pain?" he asked in concern</p><p>The girl looked up at the young knight and immediately bursts out crying in front of him, putting her arms over her eyes to stop the tears from flowing. He extended his hand to help her but her immediate reaction was to flip it away,</p><p>Haru: "it's okay... I'm not going to hurt you." he says in a calm tone</p><p>Making sure not to give her any idea that he was a threat, he reached out his hand once more and began to pat her head. This calming gesture made her feel safe enough that she slowly approached him and cried into his uniform.</p><p>He slowly caressed the young girl's hair to comfort her. Then, his hand stopped when it reached a small bump on the back of her head. Lowering his face down, he realized it was bigger than he expected. It was already swelling and he was sure that if he left it unattended, then this girl would suffer because of it.</p><p>She was left alone on the side of the road, her clothes were covered in dirt and hints of dried blood. And if it wasn't enough, her arms were even filled with scratches and scars. The wrists of her hands were scarred to the point where even healing it would leave a permanent scar. What could have possibly happened to her? What brought her to such a state?</p><p>To think he was enjoying his own company earlier while looking at the view of the Capital, and she was here suffering. It made him angry,</p><p>Haru: "it's okay, I'll be taking you to the healing institute. could you hang on for me?" he reassured her,</p><p>The girl slowly nodded her head and tightened her grip on the young knight. Seeing that as a sign of her agreeing, he slowly picked her up bridal style and carried her toward the healing institute. In his arms, the girl was trembling. His only way of comforting her now was by slowly running his fingers through her hair and hope that it was enough to calm her down,</p><p>The healing institute was a facility where healers were gathered all over the country. Though it was located in the nobles district, he had easy access to it because of his position. He only heard about where it was from Ferris earlier that day, so he couldn't even use Spatial Magic to teleport the two of them there,</p><p>Using one of his arms to support the girl from falling, he pulled out a magic mirror. Originally, it was going to be used as his communication with Ferris on where to meet up after his shift. But since it was so handy, why not contact the greatest healer he knew?</p><p>Haru: "Ferri-chan, pardon me if I'm interrupting something. But could you come by the Healing Institute?" he asked calmly,</p><p>Confused by the knight's question, the healer tilted his head,</p><p>Ferris: "Haru-kyun... Ferri-chan was wondering why you were contacting me this early. Is it urgent?" he asked</p><p>Haru: "sort of, I'd love if you come through...It's a sorry sight," he sighed</p><p>With no hesitation, Ferris quickly nodded before closing the conference mirror. He was glad that Ferris didn't think twice about offering his help.</p><p>Haru: "it's going to be okay now, we're almost there." he reassured the girl,</p><p>Still trembling in his arms, a smile appeared on the young girl's face. She seemed glad that she would finally be able to get the treatment that would ease her pain. The girl's muscles began to relax as she had nothing to worry about anymore.</p><p>After a few minutes, he finally arrived at the institute. The young girl was asleep in his arms. He slowly carried her to a nearby bed and set her down.</p><p>Haru: "what could have happened to you..." he wondered,</p><p>He was aware of the cruel reality of the world. The only thing he could think of on how the girl was in such a state, was that she was sold off as a slave. And a bolt of luck struck her that allowed her to flee from the monsters that enslaved her. A part of him was glad that he was able to help her, but anger was dwelling within him. How could someone be cruel enough to do such a thing?</p><p>Crusch: "my... that is a sight to see." a woman chimed in</p><p>Her eyes widening in shock at the state of the girl reminded her of past experiences with a certain someone she knew. The sight could easily bring someone to the verge of tears, but the fact that the girl's life was on the line. She quickly sprung into action and called in her knight,</p><p>Crusch: "Ferris is coming, he's just calling a few more healers to help."</p><p>Haru: "Crusch-sama. I didn't know you were coming." he says</p><p>Giving a small bow as a sign of respect to the woman who ranked higher than him, it wasn't the time to be dropping her formality at a place as royal as the healing institute. It surely wasn't the time for them to be acting as friends,</p><p>Crusch: "I heard from Ferris that something urgent was going on that involved you... obviously, I would worry." she replied</p><p>Offering his seat to the green-haired woman, the young knight sighed.</p><p>Haru: "I'm thankful that you thought that way, but I'm fine." he reassured her</p><p>The woman further relaxed into her chair after understanding that whatever could have happened didn't really involve her newfound friend. Her eyes kept shifting between the boy and the young girl laying on the bed, and soon after her knight came in with a few more healers in uniform as they began to treat the girl,</p><p>The woman was asked to leave the room, according to Ferris the sight was too cruel for his master to see. So on Ferris' plea, he asked the young knight to guard her outside,</p><p>Crusch: "I'd say, for your first day on the job. You've done quite well." she adds</p><p>Turning his head toward her, a small smile curled up on his lips on her compliment,</p><p>Haru: "I was honestly minding my own business, but guilt ate me up and I ended up approaching her. Glad I did though, who knows what could have happened if I didn't see her." he says</p><p>Crusch: "I'd be devastated if that were the case. You see, Ferris takes his job as a healer seriously. If you left her by the sidewalk earlier, there is no doubt that he would hate you for it." she replied</p><p>Haru: "I tried treating her with my own magic but if it wasn't obvious enough, it didn't really help." he sighed</p><p>Surprised by the fact that the young knight had water magic, she quickly asked "oh? Do you have experience in healing magic as well?"</p><p>Reaching for his pocket, he pulled out an empty glass container and handed it to her,</p><p>Haru: "not exactly Healing Magic, it's more along the sides of a potion. sadly, I only brought one with me so I couldn't entirely heal her." he says</p><p>Inspecting the bottle in her hands, she opened the small-cap that sealed it shut and ran her fingers through its walls. The blue droplets of sparkling liquid in her hands sparked a question,</p><p>Crusch: "how serious were her injuries before you healed her with this? I doubt a bottle of medicine would be enough to heal her wounds, so I guess it's understandable." she shrugged off the possibility that half a potion could heal the girl,</p><p>She handed back the container to the boy and locked eyes with him almost demanding an answer,</p><p>Haru: "uhm... I didn't come out of my fight with the bowel Hunter unscathed, I had about six bottles worth of potions, and I used half of it on my arm. It was really deep too," he replied</p><p>He slowly pulled up his sleeve and showed her the faint red line that was visible on his arm, "here's the scar" he says</p><p>She brushed her hands on the knight's arms in surprise, she has never seen a potion that effective to entirely heal a mutilated hand. Leaving only a faint trace of the wound that was hardly visible to the eye unless you really dig your face into it. But her fingers ran through the long rough surface that marked the scar,</p><p>Crusch: "amazing... where did you get these?" she asked</p><p>Fixing his uniform, the young knight replied in a cold tone,</p><p>Haru: "My master gave it to me, it's one of a kind." he says</p><p>The minor change in the tone of his voice was enough for Crusch to realize that talking about the potion and its origin was a touchy subject,</p><p>Crusch: "I see... so from what you've told me, I'm guessing the girl's injuries were that fatal?" she asked</p><p>Haru: "it was, it took me a while to realize just how serious they were at the time, but she's strong. she barely made a fuss about it."</p><p>In the middle of their conversation, the door opened up. And the healers slowly walked out, followed by Ferris who quickly called out to the young-knight,</p><p>Ferris: "Haru-kyun, do you know her?" he asked</p><p>The young-knight took a seat beside the girl and crossed his arms,</p><p>Haru: "I have no idea who she is, did she mention her name?"</p><p>Ferris slowly removed the gloves on his arms before rolling it to a ball. He shoved it into his pocket before turning back to the young-knight,</p><p>Ferris: "Ferri-chan doesn't recall hearing her say her name, that's why I called you in. But thanks to your healing earlier, she's going to be fine. But they would have to check up on her regularly just in case something else happens." he replies</p><p>Crusch: "that's great to hear, thank you Ferris." she gratefully thanked him</p><p>A blush forming on the healer's cheeks, he quickly hid it off with a giggle</p><p>Ferris: "Crusch-sama really knows a way into Ferri-chan's heart! obviously, I would take this matter seriously, and if anything we should be thanking Haru-kyun for bringing her here. That's one less tortured kid off the streets nya?" he says</p><p>Although disturbed by the healer's last remarks, the young knight shrugged it off and shifted his eyes toward the girl who was now sitting upright. She was offered a meal by the Institute's finest chefs. She quickly chomped on the food, slowly the meat and bread on her plate disappeared.</p><p>Her body, covered in new bandages, her complexion had become rosier and her over-all physique didn't look as pitiful as it did before. The two locked eyes and the young knight let out a smile,</p><p>Haru: "I'm glad you're doing okay now, you gave me quite a scare earlier. may I have your name?" he asked</p><p>The young girl hesitated, she quickly chugged on the glass of water beside her before giving her name,</p><p>?: "A-Alya... my n-name's Alya," she says</p><p>In just a short amount of time, he was glad that Alya was getting better. Her hair was straight and blonde, and her eyes were amber. He suspected that the girl would be around his age and if not then she would have been at least two-three years younger.</p><p>Haru: "nice to meet you Alya, I'm Haru. And this is Ferris, he's the healer who helped you. Lastly, right over here is Lady Crusch." he says</p><p>Her eyes shifted to the healer called Ferris, and the beautiful woman in the chair beside him. Leaving both of them with a smile as she bowed her head,</p><p>Alya: "t-thank you... thank y-you so much! H-Haru-san... Ferris-san... Crusch-sama!... the three of you helped me... thank you so much!" she exclaimed</p><p>Giggling in his place, Ferris threw his hands up and shrugged, "it wasn't me, all the credit goes to Haru-kyun for bringing you here. No? Haru?" Hitting his elbow on the shoulder of the young knight, he teased</p><p>Haru: "oh? not at all, it was Ferri-chan who healed you all up, right? Ferris?" he teased back</p><p>Crusch: "you two are joking around again." she sighed, bringing her fingers to her face as she rubbed on her temples "nice to meet you Alya, don't mind these two. I'm glad you're doing okay now." she continued, but still embarrassed by the duo's antics,</p><p>Giving a glare to the two knights who were currently messing around, the two straightened their backs when in her presence.</p><p>Crusch: "if I may ask...what happened to you, Alya-san?" she continued</p><p>She looked at the girl with concern, she was in a better state than before. But you couldn't escape the fact that she was still trembling. Upon hearing the question, the girl tensed up. She began shivering and her iris shrank. On her forehead ran cold sweat, her breathing became faster and faster with every passing second. Her vision became disfigured, she didn't want to think about what happened any longer. Tears began to dwell in her eyes, and she bit on her lip to avoid her cries from coming out.</p><p>Bringing her hands to her head as she began to rock back in forth, her teeth chattering. Her fragile state made the royale candidate turn away,</p><p>Ferris: "oh...guess it's a touchy subject, then let's not dwell on it for now." he says as he began to walk out of the room,</p><p>Their eyes following Ferris as he shut the door, the young knight stood up and sat beside Alya. Patting her head once more, thinking that this could be a way to ease her anxiety and fear. He wasn't wrong, the girl immediately began to calm down,</p><p>Haru: "it's been rough, huh?" he asked</p><p>The girl slowly nodded her head, her eyes were covered by her hair but her tears stained the bed that she was on. She gripped on the bedsheet that it began to get holes under her hand due to the sharpness of her nails, Crusch couldn't put her mind around what exactly the girl could have been through. But by the reaction given by her knight, she had some sort of idea.</p><p>It pained her to see her knight react that way, and it pained her more to see that the girl was going through the exact same thing. She slowly stood up from her seat and bid the girl goodbye, wishing her well and promising her that she would visit her soon.</p><p>She gently tapped on the knight's shoulder asking him to step outside the room, following her instructions he went out,</p><p>Crusch: "Haru... surely you know... right? from her scars... and how she reacted, or at least you have some idea on what could have happened..." she says in an unsure yet sad tone,</p><p>Nodding his head slowly, the young knight sighed</p><p>Haru: "yeah... it's horrible." he says</p><p>The two were shaking with anger, even if the girl didn't tell them what exactly happened. They both suspected the same thing, and they were sure that Ferris did as well,</p><p>Haru: "I'll be reporting this to the Station, surely this will become a big case." he adds</p><p>Crusch: "yeah... you do that, hopefully, you can get to the bottom of this. this evil act should be put to an end, I can't stand it any longer..." she says</p><p>Lifting his head he looked at the woman with a glimpse of determination in his eyes,</p><p>Haru: "definitely, it's going to take some time, but I'll find a way"</p><p>This was marked the beginning of their plan to get rid of the illegal slave industry that tortured Alya and many others.</p><p>
  <strong>TO BE CONTINUED</strong>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Prologue: Whiskey and Milk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Everyone didn't react well to Alya's case, so they drank away their sadness. Haru's dinner party slightly became better when he met his favorite character, Prologue to Arc 2.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <b> Prologue to Arc 2: Blessings and Curses</b>
  </em>
</p>
<p>"Well shit, that's depressing."</p>
<p>How could such a short line deliver everything he wanted to say? In four words, all of his thoughts had been summed up. Who would have thought an old giant could say it better than he ever could. For some odd reason, he was so distressed regarding Alya's case. He had already reported it to the knights, and they were already sending knights around the area for any suspicious activities that could be involved in what happened,</p>
<p>He should have been eased of his worries, but he was filled with anger that slavery and torture seemed to be normal. It was illegal, but these acts were done anyway. Behind everyone's backs, someone was being held against their will, someone was being harmed for pleasure, and someone was being forced to work to their deaths.</p>
<p>It was disappointing that everyone only began to act when he reported it, if it wasn't rare then why were they only acting now? Who knows how many lives they could have saved if they did? Who knows how many organizations could have been stopped if they spared just a little bit of their time to actually investigate suspicious areas?</p>
<p>He knew he shouldn't involve himself deeper.If you take into consideration the fact that he could be heading back home in a month or two, acting in these events would only give false hope to those who were looking forward to standing beside him. And yet he couldn't stop himself from actually pulling away from them, had he grown that attached to humans he had only read about? Is he so driven to stop evil doings in a place he didn't even belong to?</p>
<p>His original plan of completing only the events that transpired in the novels that he was aware of was slowly going down the drain. His second night in this world should have been spent in the Margrave's Mansion. And yet there he was, indulging in a small cup of milk with the Old Giant,</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "You're legal enough to drink young-ru, drink your problems away." he says while chugging down the shot of alcohol,</p>
<p>His cheeks red, his breath reeked of alcohol, and his table was filled with empty cups that were once filled with alcohol,</p>
<p>Haru: "Rom-san... you stink." he scoffed</p>
<p>Leaning back into his seat, the giant laughed under his breath. Gulping down another round of shots, he gave out an accomplished howl,</p>
<p>Felt: "and if you're going to open your mouth like that, would you mind facing the other way? You reek really bad." she adds while covering her nose</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "oh come on Felt, you should be used to me drinking by now." he says while taking another drink,</p>
<p>Felt: "this isn't something I want to get used to! You old man..." she mutters,</p>
<p>Haru: "yeah Rom-san, you better go easy on the drinks or else you'd die of alcohol poisoning." he adds</p>
<p>Feeling offended by the two, he lowered down his cup and kept quiet for the rest of the talk.</p>
<p>The group spent their evening in a restaurant. It attracted many customers due to its unique food and yet affordable prices, attracting even the most well-known nobles. So seeing the Sword Saint and the Young Knight dine there wasn't a super one-time-only sight, it earned them a few looks and small talks but it didn't entirely interrupt or ruin their day,</p>
<p>To Rom's advantage, the restaurant offered Alcohol to those who asked and paid for it. Though it troubled Haru who invited them for dinner at the place, he thought it would have been fun if he got the giant drunk so he could be distracted from his worries.</p>
<p>The intake of alcohol in Reinhard's presence was a deadly thing to do, but knowing that Old Man Rom probably lived off of it in the past, he let it slide. He turned down every offer the giant gave him, saying that he would not want to be wasted when he bids Haru with a goodbye the next day.</p>
<p>He refused to give the young candidate even the slightest drop of Alcohol, so to compensate Haru bought her a bottomless amount of Milk that would only be available for that night. He got the same deal as well so the two competed in a small milk drinking competition, internally they were both lucky that they weren't cursed with having a weak stomach when it comes to dairy.</p>
<p>Haru: "well I don't think milk can help my anxiety, but at least it's doing something." he sighed,</p>
<p>The more cups of milk he drank, the wider the mark it left on the top of his lips. It was disappointing that he was joyed by this boring act, he wiped the milk mustache off with a towel only for it to reappear when he drank from his cup again.</p>
<p>Felt: "big bro... you look so happy doing it, the bar is that low now huh? That's shallow," she says</p>
<p>Haru: "shallow? a-and who says I'm getting jolly over the stache I might decide to grow?" he questioned her</p>
<p>He looked at his reflection from the window, observing the mustache that spread through his face. He joked that if he were to grow a beard, he would look really good in it.</p>
<p>Reinhard: "though it saddens me that I'd have to interfere with your discovery that you'd look good with a beard, what exactly happened?" he asked</p>
<p>Haru: "let's see... I was patrolling this one section of the slums, then I saw the girl. She was badly wounded, so I just brought her to the Institute. I reported it to Sir Marcos and he alerted a few knights to investigate that area. That's it." he replies while taking a sip from his cup</p>
<p>The Sword Saint brought his hand to his chin and gave an understanding nod.</p>
<p>Reinhard: "so you discovering that girl is the source of all your anxiety? Don't worry about it Haru, we'll get to the bottom of it." he reassures him</p>
<p>He brought his hand up to Haru's back and began to pat it. If petting Alya's head was his way of calming her down, then Reinhard's way of calming Haru down was by doing this,</p>
<p>Haru: "thanks Reinhard... but it isn't just that, I'm kind of worried about tomorrow too." he adds</p>
<p>Tilting their heads in confusion, they wondered what troubled him so much. They knew his plan of meeting up with the most powerful mage in the country, but what he would do after was kept a secret from them,</p>
<p>Felt: "why? Aren't you just gonna meet him and grab all his money? I mean that's what I would do." she joked</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: " that's not a bad idea, why not do it?" he asked</p>
<p>Skeptical of their suggestions, the sword saint raised his own opinion,</p>
<p>Reinhard: "Haru are you actually considering that? Getting a bit of bounty is understandable, but demanding all of his money for compensation is a bit too far."</p>
<p>The young knight sank deeper into his seat and sighed, he did consider their suggestions. But if he did then he would be throwing away his only chance at getting what he wants,</p>
<p>Haru: "as much as I want to do that and indulge in my riches, I already have a source of income so I'm not really that worried about money. And I already have a plan on what to ask of him, I'm just pretty scared about what might happen after." he replied</p>
<p>Reinhard: "I doubt you would face things that are out of your capabilities, but if it bothers you so much. Then I can assist you in going there." he suggests</p>
<p>Bringing the Sword Saint with him to the mansion doesn't seem like such a bad idea. But it would alarm the servants why he came with a plus one, even if it was strictly asked of him to come alone.</p>
<p>Haru: "Thanks but, it's fine. You have your own stuff to do with Felt, and it would be kind of weird if I arrive at the mansion with you, right?" he answers</p>
<p>Realizing the effects of coming along with the young knight, the sword saint proposed a different idea,</p>
<p>Reinhard: "I see, so what if I b-"</p>
<p>
  <b>WOOH! That hit the spot!</b>
</p>
<p>Their heads tilting towards the source of the holler, they found the Old Giant by the bartender. Chugging down a large mug of what looked to be beer, his exclamation alarmed several of the customers. But seeing the applaudable act the Old Man did, they began to burst out laughing and clapping for him.</p>
<p>The mug wasn't exactly small in size, by estimation, it could most probably hold about 6-7 regular cups worth of beer. In fact, they were so surprised that he was able to do it without choking or even showing any signs of nausea right after. The trio left at the table sighed,</p>
<p>Haru: "and I just told him to go easy too.." he muttered</p>
<p>Felt: "no doubt... he's gonna die. I'll start preparing the invitations for his funeral" she adds</p>
<p>Reinhard: "my prayers go to the young man over there, looks like some of the alcohol spilled on him"</p>
<p>When everyone was so pleased with the act, one unlucky man got caught up in the whole show. His green Ushanka was almost drenched in the substance,</p>
<p>???: "Y-You Old Man! M-My hat! Eek?! It's soaked!" he retorted</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "eh?" he snickered</p>
<p>Standing up from his seat he quickly took off his drenched Ushanka and began to twist and turn it, with alcohol dripping from his fingertips slowly drying the ruined hat.</p>
<p>???: "this can't get any worse! I just washed this hat! Aurgh.. How cruel..." he exclaimed</p>
<p>Old Man Rom: "my bad, little boy." he replies</p>
<p>Shooting his head up at the comment, the gray-haired young man with a green-based wardrobe cried out, "Little boy..?!I-I don't even look young!" his face contorted into an offended expression, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes drooped.</p>
<p>Felt: "is it bad to laugh?" she asked</p>
<p>Haru: "oh c-come on... how could you not laugh at this,"</p>
<p>Observing the whole scene with their hands over their mouths trying to keep in their giggles, they all straightened their backs and walked toward the Old Giant,</p>
<p>Reinhard: "Rom-san, I think we should get going." he says while tapping on the giant's shoulder</p>
<p>Turning his head toward the voice, he nodded his head.</p>
<p>Haru: "You have our sincerest apologies, sorry we couldn't stop him. I'm afraid we might have -" he apologized while bowing in front of the wailing man,</p>
<p>???: "A k-knight!? I didn't do anything, I swear!" he interrupted while throwing his hands up in a surrendering position,</p>
<p>Haru: "pardon?" he asks</p>
<p>Gulping from his own worries, the grey-haired young man tilted his head in confusion, "y-you won't arrest me?" he adds</p>
<p>Analyzing the young man in front of him, his eyes widened in surprise. Green clothes, whiny personality, grey hair. He recognized him, in fact, he might have been his favorite character in the whole book series. No doubt this was,</p>
<p>Haru: "no way... you're Otto Suwen!" he exclaimed</p>
<p>
  <b>TO BE CONTINUED</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Next Chapter: Meeting the Onis</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Meeting the Onis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The morning of the day he had to negotiate with the Margrave came, as he runs through the details of who he was going to meet later that day. He remembered a certain pink-haired ogre from Tempest, only to realize that everyone he has been meeting resembled his family back in Jura Tempest. </p><p>His Home Sickness only got worse,</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>Arc 2: Blessings and Curses</em>
  </b>
</p><p>Morning finally arrived, the chirps from outside his window served as his alarm clock to finally get up. Pulling aside the blankets that covered his body, he lifted his arms and stretched his back. Next, he stretched his limbs. Spreading his arms to reach the corners of the guest room, and down by his feet while making sure to avoid bending his knees. The tension from his stiff muscles disappeared as he finally ended his short stretch routine with a yawn. </p><p>Haru: "this is it." he says,</p><p>Today was the day he was going to meet the country's greatest Mage, Roswaal Mathers, the dreaded man who was one of the reasons behind the novel's main protagonist's suffering. Though he didn't have any personal grudges against him, he was aware of how misleading and untrustworthy he was. But cooperating with him was his best shot of going home, so he's left with no other choice but to be a part of his household.</p><p>Haru: "crap I'm so scared." </p><p>As if all of his confidence disappeared, he sank back down into his bed. Burying his head into his pillow as he began to mutter worrying phrases,</p><p>Haru: "maids... the maids! unless I have the stupid curse then I'm all good right?! and I-I'm going to be in my knight uniform! t-that's more than e-enough to see me a-as a good guy r-right?!" he exclaimed,</p><p>Haru: "and d-dogs... why dogs? and why curses?! this world is so fucked up... I love dogs... but my body is completely weak against curses. Ugh, I wish I had a curse resistance or something!" he cried out,</p><p>On the other side of his wall, a certain golden-haired girl, Old Man, and Red-haired knight had their ears against the wall. Listening to his faint mutters and cries. They were sure no one else was in the room with him which creeped them out a little bit,</p><p>Reinhard: "Haru looks like he's having it rough, perhaps a bad dream?" he wonders</p><p>Putting his hand to his chin, the Old Giant sank in thought, "I don't think so," he answers back,</p><p>Reinhard: "and why so?"</p><p>Wise words from a 'wise' man, he chuckled under his breath. With confidence, his thoughts escaped his mouth, "he's hitting the rebellious age. heh, puberty I guess. You said he was sixteen right? no doubt about it, emotional mood swings, talking to himself. I remember when I had puberty, I used t-"</p><p>Felt: " s-shut up! t-that's disgusting! I don't wanna hear about that boy crap! and isn't big bro a little too old for that?!" she exclaimed while covering her ears,</p><p>Reinhard: "o-okay I don't think talking to yourself is normal in Puberty, and I'm not exactly agreeing with your idea that his actions are a result of it. there must be something bothering him." he says</p><p>Felt: "all that gross stuff aside... are you sure he isn't just weird?"</p><p>He sat up from his bed and began to sniff himself,</p><p>Haru: "what is the witch's scent supposed to smell like?! tsk... they should have described it more, I can't smell shit!" he says</p><p>The inaudible dialogue was all they could hear on the other side of the wall. Still hung up on his idea that Haru's acts were a result of late puberty, the Old Giant laughed "definitely puberty."</p><p>Haru: "and Ram and Rem... onis again...?"</p><p>The possibility of him dying at the hands of the two maids was incredibly low. He was stronger than them by a ten-fold, but if worse comes to worst and they turn on him for being suspicious. Then he would have no choice but to defend himself, but staining his hands with the blood of a fellow Oni would go against everything he stands for as Rimuru's subordinate.</p>
<hr/><p>That one alert and call to his name was more than enough for him to run out of the cave. Having acquired his new human-form, simple tasks like walking and sprinting became easier. A telepathic message saying that they required assistance. His heart filled with worry for his subordinates. He had seen them go out just a few minutes ago to hunt for their small feast that would be held that night. Even if it was the most skilled goblins who were asked to fetch the cattle, he still had every right to panic about their safety.</p><p>Gobta: "eurgh!" he groaned</p><p>The grey-haired goblin lifted his club to attack the old man who ambushed them. With one quick move, he was brought to his knees. He barely had enough time to realize what happened, and before he knew it, his chest was spurting out blood.</p><p>Gobta: "I'm going to die!" he shouted</p><p>The force of the blade sent him toppling over himself, his blood began to dye the road red. He clutched his chest and tears began to form under his eyes. His breath was ragged, and he struggled to even get up.</p><p>Rimuru: "what happened?" he asked in concern,</p><p>He finally found them. He put his knee on the ground as he knelt beside the young goblin.</p><p>Gobta: "I'm cut and it hurts so much!" he cried out</p><p>Analyzing the cut of the goblin, he felt his breath halt under his mask. Not in shock, but as a result of him suppressing his own urge to laugh,</p><p>Rimuru: "calm down, it isn't deep." he says</p><p>His eyes shifted from the grounded boy as he scanned the battlefield. In front of him were the bodies of his other allies, there were no signs of bleeding or bruising on them. But they were in a state of unconsciousness. Whether or not they were breathing was something he needed to find out.</p><p>What alarmed him the most were the two figures who stood out from the fallen goblins. A muscular and tall young man with flaming red hair, and two horns protruding from his forehead. As well as a line of red that ran down his pink-colored skin. Beside him was a man with white hair, the gap in their height made it seem like he was inferior to the warrior who stood beside him. Yet the aura he emanated said otherwise.</p><p>Rimuru: "who are you?" he asks,</p><p>Finally lifting his head up, the young goblin cried out again.</p><p>Gobta: "Rimuru-sama, it's you! you were worried and came to help!" </p><p>Seeing the state of the young goblin, the blue-haired master stood up. "yeah, I suppose. You seem fine so you won't need a health potion." he says while walking away,</p><p>Gobta: "please, I want one! I'm sorry about the joke I made earlier!" he exclaimed while reaching out his hand,</p><p>Out of annoyance, or of pity. The blue-haired master complied with his plea and threw a healing potion at him. The blue liquid spread throughout his body, closing the small cut on his chest and removed the minor bruises and scratches that were scattered around his body.</p><p>He searched his body once more, and a smile appeared on his face. "that worked wonderfully! thank you!" he says,</p><p>As his voice grew distant, a loud howl echoed through the forest. Another battle has begun, he looked toward the sky and saw two unfamiliar figures and his trusted Tempest Wolf battling. The wolf tilted his head and pointed his horn towards the two attackers as a strong gush of wind came out that quickly grounded the trio. The strong impact and force wasn't enough to knock them out as they landed safely on the ground,</p><p>He ran towards the duo as they raised their weapons. A large man with a pair of small white horns protruding from his forehead, and a large hammer that could crush a body with ease. And a dark blue-haired young man wielding dual blades. With a single long horn in the middle of his forehead.</p><p>The wolf launched himself toward the two at incredible speeds until a large wall of blue fire intercepted his attack. Causing him to retreat to a safer spot. Its caster was hidden behind the tall trees, in her hand hovered the same blue fire that continued to scorch the ground. Long wavy pink hair ran down her back, large hot pink eyes that sparkled with innocence, and two large porcelain horns protruding from her forehead.</p><p>Haru: "I'm your assigned battle partner here! pay attention!" he exclaims,</p><p>Her hands covered her mouth, yet he saw the change in her expression. Her eyes narrowed as if mocking his words,</p><p>His grip tightened on his blade as he surveyed the area. To his left was another fight between the tall boy he looked up to, Rigur. Fighting against a woman wielding a metal club. The weight of her own weapon caused an unnecessary pause between fighting, but her competitor still had trouble blocking her attacks. Her purple hair and her menacing gaze were her most striking features.</p><p>On the ground were his comrades, who were brought into a deep sleep by the same pink-haired girl in front of him,</p><p>Haru: "must be nice sleeping during a battle, you did this didn't you? " he says</p><p> The girl nodded to his question, causing him to furrow his brows. "a simple skill got everyone to fall asleep. tsk, even Aya's out... and her fire even got Ranga to retreat, this girl..." he mutters</p><p>Haru: "tsk, you even accused me and master of being the one who attacked your village. that has nothing to do with us! a-and this isn't even a mask! it's a hood that I drew on!" he exclaimed,</p><p>He began to analyze the pink-haired girl in from of him, '<em>two horns... fire... n-no way... is she a-an oni..!'</em></p><p>Haru: "y-you're an oni! t-that's so cool!" he exclaims,</p><p>???: "h-huh?" she mutters,</p><p>Haru: "you! you have horns! so you are an oni?" he asks again</p><p>Confused by his questions, the pink-haired girl takes a few steps back. "I knew it!" he exclaims again,</p><p>Suddenly the sound of metal being unsheathed echoed from behind him. He evaded the attack that could have possibly beheaded him if he didn't react quickly enough. He didn't come out unscathed, the tip of the katana scratched his cheek. Leaving a deep cut that caused his right eye to unintentionally close. He turned his head and met eyes with the dual-wielding young man.</p><p>Haru: "t-that hurts...!" he cries out,</p><p>Cupping his cheek with his free hand, he glared at the young man in front of him. He was slightly angered by his surprise attack. His skill was sharp and precise, he had an ability to arouse whoever watched him. Any swordsman who was in his presence would feel insecure, would feel envious at his mastery of the blade. </p><p>Haru: "attacking a w-warrior from behind is rude..." he mutters</p><p>Internally, he was amazed. Wielding two blades would surely be a dream of his that he will achieve in the future no matter what,</p><p>Rimuru: "Haru! get back!" he shouts,</p><p>In an instant, he retreated,  With Rigur following in pursuit. Jumpingbackward toward their master while panting. They dropped to their knees, struggling to catch a breath. But the white-haired boy's eyes were fixated on the pink-haired 'oni' who stood behind the tall armed attackers,</p><p>Rigur: "R-Rimuru-sama...! I'm sorry!" he apologized while bowing,</p><p>Haru: "me too! this happened during our watch!" he added,</p><p>Rimuru: "Don't worry, leave this to me. You can rest now," he reassures them,</p><p>He hands the duo a healing potion and they thanked their master for his generosity. He stepped forward to face the group who glared back at him with disgust and hate. This was their first interaction with the Ogre race,</p><p>-</p><p>"The whole battle was two years ago, you still haven't gotten over it?" she asks</p><p>Turning his head to face the soft-spoken girl, in her hands she weaved silk on a loom. Her creations were graceful, and when she was at work she was absolutely stunning.</p><p>Haru: "t-that wasn't exactly p-pleasant, I mean you accused me, attacked me, and l-laughed at me! nothing w-was even funny during that!" he shouted back,</p><p>The two spent their day in the kingdom's looming building, two years had passed since then. And the two spent most of their days either protecting their master, training or having small chat over embroidery or weaving,</p><p>Shuna: "Haru you're getting quite good at weaving, maybe one day you could join me in making clothes." she suggests</p><p>He was originally clueless about the topic, his fingers would get stabbed by the needles, or his hands would get caught in between the threads. But due to his close friend having it as a hobby, he had grown fond of it over time,</p><p>Haru: "if you say so, I'd do it in a heartbeat. but I'm more combat-oriented, and I'd never reach your level of mastery." he sighs</p><p>Tilting her head at his words, she spoke up "that doesn't matter now, does it? obviously, you would get better the more you practice, and aren't you planning on getting rid of that old blacktop of yours?" she asks</p><p>He adjusted his collar at her comment, the black sleeveless top crafted with Hellmoth. It had been gifted to him a few years ago, and since then it became his usual attire. His only reason behind not getting rid of it was because it was comfy. in reality, he loved and cherished it wholeheartedly to the point where getting rid of it was such a difficult task.</p><p>For the past two years, he had secretly been hiding his feelings toward the oni princess. He was sure that he had fallen in love with her, they were the same age, they enjoyed the same things, and they were often hanging out together. </p><p>The first time he laid his eyes on her, he was mesmerized. Young love, will he ever admit his feelings?</p><p>Haru: "nevermind that...you should be thanking me for helping you, w-well it's not like I wouldn't... but making five cloaks for kids aren't that easy you know?" he says</p><p>Shuna: "really? then you should have helped me when I made your cloak and your shirt." she giggled</p><p>It was almost as if her words were automatically generated, she didn't even spare a moment to think about what she was going to say. It left him puzzled trying to think of a response,</p><p>Haru: "well... a-at least I didn't think Rimuru-sama had kids! and didn't you cry over it?!" he exclaimed</p><p>Shuna: "I w-was shocked surprised! news of Rimuru-sama coming back to town brought me to tears! so no I didn't cry over it!" she defended</p><p>The threads crumpled under her palms as she furrowed her brows, releasing a menacing aura that forced the young goblin to drop to the ground in a pleading manner. "r-right, sorry" he apologized with his hands back to the ground,</p><p>Haru: "o-onis are scary..." he muttered as he sat back in his chair,</p><p>Shuna: "didn't you say we were cool the first time we met? you seemed so shocked at the fact that I resembled an oni, I'm still a kijin, remember?" she says</p><p>Dropping the weave in between his fingertips, a wave of blush invaded his face. "w-well I was like f-fourteen at t-the time... it isn't o-often you see someone like you, o-okay?" he answers back,</p><p><em>'for a bratty kid who was new to this world, wouldn't that be a normal reaction?'</em> he thought,</p><p>Shuna: "my apologies, I keep forgetting." she responds,</p><p>She was one of four people who knew about him being a Reincarnated Otherworlder. This fact amazed her so much that there were worlds beyond theirs and civilizations beyond their understanding. She didn't doubt his words. In fact, she enjoyed learning about his former world. Their master would even join in and tell them about the world they both came from, their kingdom had a modern design due to their knowledge about cities and architecture.</p><p>Shuna: "so there weren't any monsters in your past life?" she asks,</p><p>The young goblin paused, he ran his fingers through his hair as he thought about the question over and over. "if you put aside the pricks who just so happened to have human skin, then I'd say there were none, monsters were myths and legends back then," he answers</p><p>Shuna: "that's pretty cool, so you saw me as a living legend and you were amazed and lost in my beauty?" she joked,</p><p>A laugh escaped his lips, which caused the two to share an enjoyable giggle" you're starting to talk like me. my mannerism is starting to rub on you, Shuna-sama." </p><p>Shuna: "it seems so, I'm surprised I haven't gone crazy for being with you for two and a half years," she giggled</p><p>His face shifted into a pitiful look as if a dark depressing cloud appeared above him. He didn't know whether to take her words positively or not. It would be hard for anyone not to be depressed hearing that,</p><p>Haru: "I take it back, you're a demon for saying that." he sighed</p><p>She quickly covered her mouth to keep in her laugh, "well, you're not wrong." </p>
<hr/><p>Haru: "aurgh, it's times like these when I start to miss our stupid talks... Shuna." he sighed</p><p>He stood up from his bed and sighed, he couldn't begin to put into words the hiraeth that suddenly overcame him. He was homesick for Jura Tempest only after 3 days in Lugnica. Sulking in his own sadness, the door suddenly opens. The sound of the doorknob hitting the wall echoed through the corridor, its sound bounced through the four corners of his room,</p><p>His head shot towards the trio that stood under the door frame, with their hands on their waists as if lecturing a misbehaving kid,</p><p>"who's Shuna?" they said in unison,</p><p>-</p><p>After spending at least half an hour explaining who this mystery girl was, their desperation disappeared and for now, the young boy was cleared of his questioning. The time came for him to finally leave the Astrea Estate. He wore his uniform with confidence, no visible creases were seen, his hair was tidy and fixed, and lastly emanating from his body was the scent of book pages and apples. Unbeknownst to him why he had such a scent even if he never recalled eating apples ever since he arrived.</p><p>Below the large door, the young knight looked at the carriage that pulled up at the end of the grand staircase that led to the road. Its driver waved his hand back and forth to remind him of his presence. His green sleeve was more than enough to bring a smile to the young knight's lips. The driver was his favorite character after all,</p><p>Otto: "Tempest-san! the carriage is ready! we can leave whenever you're ready!" he says,</p><p>Nodding his head at the Merchant's words, he turned his back and faced the trio who wished him goodbye on his trip to the Mather's territory. The Old Giant who was comically almost on the verge of tears, blowing his nose into the drenched napkin in his hands. A scene you would commonly see from a parent who watched their child graduate from school,</p><p>Old Man Rom: "young-ru truly does look good in uniform, you're bringing your old man to tears!" he exclaimed while trying to keep in his cries,</p><p>Haru: "drunk. he's still drunk isn't he?" he asked the two,</p><p>The golden-haired girl and the sword saint nodded to his question,</p><p>A sigh escaped his lips as he approached the Old Man, " you don't need to cry Rom-san, I'll regularly visit you three. It's not like this is our last time meeting," he giggled </p><p>He turned toward the young lady and bowed in front of her, "it was an honor serving under you for a day, Felt-sama. I hope you'll always be well," he says</p><p>Felt: "tsk... you're really different when in uniform big bro, you better keep your promise and visit us often!" she says while delivering a small jab to his side,</p><p>A pained groan escaped his lips followed by a number of giggles that brought the rest of the group to laugh with him.</p><p>Haru: "I swear on my Master's name, but you didn't need to punch me!" he replied,</p><p>Lastly, he turned his head toward the red-haired knight. The two locked eyes as they bowed in front of each other,</p><p>Haru: "Reinhard... thank you so much for allowing me to stay at your place. I had such a fun time learning the ways of a knight from you, I'm in your debt."</p><p>Reinhard: "nonsense, it's the least I could do for you. I should be the one thanking you, you've done so much for this country in just a few days. it's such an honor to have you as my friend," he says with a smile </p><p>The two shook each other's hands one last time, it was time for him to leave.</p><p>He boarded the carriage, he turned his back a final time and waved goodbye. Otto pulled the reigns and they slowly drove away from the group's view. An hour-long ride toward the mansion, to anyone else, they could have spent it sleeping. </p><p>He took this time to get to know the grey-haired merchant, the two enjoyed each other's company. This was the start of a beautiful friendship.</p><p>Otto: "Tempest-san, don't you have any suitcases or bags? you seem empty-handed at the moment." he comments,</p><p>He sunk into his chair and giggled, he wasn't wrong.</p><p>Haru: "don't worry, I have all my stuff with me. unloading it now might cause the carriage to tip over so I hid it away with magic." he replies</p><p>His eyes widening in shock, concealing material things using magic? it wasn't an unknown act, it had been done a lot in four hundred years, but he never expected to meet a magic-user who could perfectly execute the act,</p><p>Otto: "hid it away?! I'm getting concerned and insecure about my own wellbeing, you sound amazing!" he exclaimed</p><p>Haru: "Otto-san you're making me blush...! you're amazing!" he exclaimed back</p><p>The two shared a laugh as Otto raised his hand and yelled, "like this?" </p><p>His palm was open and stuck in the air. Seeing this as his signal, the young knight raised his hand as the two clashed. </p><p>Haru: "you're getting the hang of this, Otto!" he says </p><p>Otto: "I never thought slapping hands with someone else would be so much fun! but your hand was so thin I thought I broke it!" he cried out</p><p>He quickly reeled back his arm. He inspected his hand and spoke up, "a-anyway let's not talk about my hands!" he trailed off,</p><p>Otto was no doubt his favorite character, which is why he started a friendship with him this early on. One minor plan he thought of was including Otto in the Emilia camp a month prior to his original debut. He was a merchant, he had experience with talking to successful people and potential buyers. Even with this skill of his, he was second in rank to be one of the most unlucky characters in the novels.</p><p><em>'this poor man gets kidnapped by the Witch Cult... that's depressing'  </em>he thinks to himself,</p><p>He didn't know if having Otto with him would benefit him or not, but to him, just having someone like him around could lessen one's burdens. Be it personal issues, insecurities, worries, you name it. The man named Otto Suwen could help you,</p><p>Haru: "Otto-san, would you mind staying by the nearby village after I meet with Roswaal-sama? I'd be happy to give you a few ideas on things you could sell when you get back to the capital as well," he says</p><p>Surprised by the young knight's words, the merchant began to panic.</p><p>Otto: "h-help me? you're not going to bait me, are you... a-and I barely have enough m-money to pay for the inn. empty my pockets and you-d get nothing but dust..." he says with a downcasted expression,</p><p>Haru: "don't worry about any of those, I'll pay for your inn. just let me do this for you, okay?"</p><p>Enlightened by his words, his face stretched with a big smile.</p><p>Otto: "T-Thank you, Tempest-san!" he exclaimed</p><p> A friendship that blossomed through the young knight hiring him as a driver, how funny.</p><p>He peeked his head out the window and his eyes widened. A large mansion decorated with shrubs on its sides, and a large gate. The trees covered the rest of the mansion, the closer they got, the bigger it became. His head continued to tilt up, yet he still couldn't see the mansion's roof. <em>'how big is this place?'</em> he wondered</p><p>The driver pulled on the reigns once more and the carriage pulled to a stop,</p><p>Otto: "we're here... are you re- eh!? Tempest-san?!" he exclaimed</p><p>He turned his head back and he saw the young knight cradling himself in his seat,</p><p>Otto: "w-what are you doing?!" he asked as his nostrils flared </p><p>Haru: "p-praying to the dragon that nothing bad happens." he says while raising his head,</p>
<hr/><p>As he approached the large twin doors, he stared at the crest that hovered over it. He fixed his uniform, removed all the creases on the cape, and hid his sword in his shadow. Lastly, he pulled out the curved white anti-magic mask. With a deep breath, he put it on. His monster aura completely disappeared, and even the Witch's Scent that could possibly be on him.</p><p>Angering the residences surely shouldn't be his first impression, he stretched his body, cracked his knuckles, and mentally prepared himself. </p><p>
  <em>'This is it'</em>
</p><p>He extended his hand and knocked on the door. Knock knock. He straightened his back and braced himself for whoever might answer his call, <em>'where are they?'</em> he wondered</p><p>Three minutes have passed and he never moved out of his stance in front of the door, he thought of every possible reason as to why that was happening.</p><p>' maybe they aren't home... should I just come back another day? this is embarrassing...' he internally complained</p><p>As he was about to knock for a final time, the door opened.</p><p>???: "I offer my sincerest apologies for keeping you waiting, honored guest"  she bowed</p><p>What greeted him was a young lady dressed in a maid outfit. Her medium-length sky blue hair covered her right eye, her light blue eyes complemented her look. He stared into her gentle blue eyes, lost in a deep-sea beyond his understanding. Conflicted by what reflected and stared back at him, he took a step back.</p><p>Haru: "i-it's no problem, thank you for having me." he replied</p><p>What stared back at him was a broken young girl. Since when did he acquire such a skill that allowed him to peek at one's inner core? This was the first time, and he had no explanation or clue why that happened in the first place. It shocked him,</p><p>???: "Please follow me, Roswaal-sama is currently waiting for you in the VIP room." she added</p><p>Haru: "thank you, please lead the way." he says</p><p>She led him through the lobby, and through the corridor. She walked with formality and grace. But her eyes were directed on him, monitoring every move and step he made. Wearing a mask to an invited meeting was suspicious, yet he did it anyway.</p><p>His eyes shifted toward the girl's clips, to the flower-shaped ribbon that resided on the same side. She was smaller than him by a large gap, he looked at her blue hair with ease and was joyed by it.</p><p><em>'her clips are so pretty'</em> he thought,</p><p>Haru: "if you don't mind, may I have your name?" he asks,</p><p>Stopping in her tracks, she paused. and after what seemed like a week's worth of living in an uncomfortable atmosphere, she answered</p><p>???: "my name is Rem, I have no last name. But you may address me by whatever pleases you, I'm one of the maids who work in this mansion." she introduced herself,</p><p>A little too close for comfort to the name Rom, he smiled underneath his mask. </p><p>Haru: "what a lovely name, it's nice to meet you... Rem," he says while extending his hand,</p><p>Her face shifted into a confused expression, she was completely clueless. The two stared at each other for a good few seconds before she decided to grab his as the two shook hands.</p><p>Rem: "it's a pleasure to meet the man who saved Emilia-sama, we're eternally grateful to have you today." she says</p><p>Her expressions were stiff, it was as if her responses were automatically generated. It was formal, it is what you would expect when talking to someone who generally had a lower rank than you. In the novels, she was said to be a soft-spoken girl. Put aside the fact that she has killed the protagonist of the story once, and she brutally tortured him in the past. Then she would totally resemble Shuna from Jura Tempest,</p><p>Considering he already met the younger twin's older sister, Ram. Her pink hair resembled Shuna, but her attitude reminded him of the bantering he and the girl he liked had. </p><p>
  <em>'even in different worlds... I see you guys everywhere I go.'</em>
</p><p>Everyone he had met these past few days all had characteristics and mannerism of his family back at home, which only caused him homesickness to get even worse. </p><p>The hardest part of all of that was the chance that there truly never was a way to get back to them. Just the thought of it made his heartache and brought his eyes to the brink of tears. He couldn't say goodbye, and he would never be able to say hello. What could get any sadder than that?</p><p>If that were the case. Then Haru Tempest would be the boy who did everything but got nothing in return. All for nothing at all, what a tragic story.</p><p>
  <b>TO BE CONTINUED</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Next Chapter: The Harmoney of the Roswaal Mansion</b>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Harmony of the Roswaal Mansion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Haru's request has been fulfilled and he's officially part of the Margrave's household. After a brief tour, he makes his way to the village to ask for a certain favor. Until trouble happens that caused a short game of tag around the forest. He builds a connection with the village's kids and they all share their dream,</p>
<p>As night fell on the mansion, reality began to stray away from what he knows.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Arc 2: Curses and Blessings</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>They both stopped in front of a door, she reached her hand out for the doorknob. He took a deep breath and entered the VIP room,</p>
<p>???: "Thank you for blessing us with your pre~sence, Haru-kun. it's so good to finally meet you~"</p>
<p>The man spoke with a soothing voice as if he was speaking in some type of melody. He stood up and greeted the young knight with his arms wide open, a tall yet muscular build, with long indigo hair. His most striking feature was his heterochromic eyes, with his right eye being blue and his left eye yellow.</p>
<p>Long sleeves and lavender colored makeup finished his clown-based look. The Kingdom's Greatest Magician,</p>
<p><em>'Roswaal... he's tall.... and his aura... woah,'</em> he was amazed,</p>
<p>Haru: "It's such an honor to meet you, Roswaal-sama. Thank you for having me," he bowed</p>
<p>As a sign of respect to anyone, the young knight took off his mask. Revealing his appearance to everyone in the room. The moment he took it off, the blue-haired maid's expression shifted into an angered one. Her eyes shot open and she glared at the white-haired knight with hate.</p>
<p>Unbeknownst to him, it was wrong of him to turn a blind eye to the maid's rage,</p>
<p>Roswaal: "n~o, it should be I who should be thanking you. For such a heroic deed, you act like you haven't done anything at a~ll quite a humble boy I must say," he says</p>
<p>He offered the seat opposite to him to the young knight and the two sat down. The aura in the room tensed up suddenly as the blue-haired maid walked over to her master's side with her twin sister following in pursuit.</p>
<p>He nodded at the pink-haired maid he had met earlier, and the two exchanged looks.</p>
<p>Haru: "thank you Roswaal-sama, I'm truly blessed to be complimented by you." he replied,</p>
<p>Roswaal: "So you a~re. Ram, Rem, you may leave the room now. this young gentleman and I shall discuss business, thank you for your service." he says</p>
<p>His verbal mannerism disappeared as he asked the two maids to leave the room. The two felt conflicted as if they didn't want to obey their master's request. Aggravation, Annoyance, Disgust, Fear. How many words could be used to describe the feeling being shown off by their core?</p>
<p>But the Young knight paid no mind to it, he rejected this fact as if it was never present or obvious. He made himself believe that the maids were just overprotective over their master.</p>
<p>Ram: "Roswaal-sama, we-"</p>
<p>Roswaal: "m~hm it's alright, Ram. Haru-kun and I will have nothing mo~re than a friendly chat to discuss his reward." he interrupted</p>
<p>Feeling defeated by their master's decline in offering their assistance. She had no choice but to bow before him,</p>
<p>Ram: "understood... Ram shall take her leave now Roswaal-sama."</p>
<p>Rem: "Rem shall take her leave now, Roswaal-sama." she added</p>
<p>Rem seemed more alert about the matter than her sister. But acting rashly in front of her master would be rude, the two bowed as they left the room. Leaving the young knight and greatest magician to talk in privacy,</p>
<p>He looked at the man's makeup. It was ridiculous, it reminded him of servants who worked under Demon Lords. It wasn't completely wrong. In a way, Roswaal was a slave. Perhaps a slave bounded by a contract? A promise? He noticed how Roswaal would always disappear at the wrong times, he was never around during the problems that Natsuki Subaru encountered, forcing him to think of solutions on his own. It was almost as if he knew these things would happen beforehand,</p>
<p>Ever since he was introduced it was obvious that there was something he was hiding. His true intentions were always misleading. His plans were always kept hidden, and it seemed like he never had the slightest care or worry when it came to the people in his household. He entrusted everything to a young boy, and that boy never ceased to go beyond his expectations. </p>
<p> But when things don't go his way, he would take matters into his own hands and forcefully implement his desires into the boy's head. In reality, he was prideful, greedy, untrustworthy, unreliable. He would do everything to get what he wanted. Roswaal L. Mathers.</p>
<p>Despite their obvious similarities, Haru would never be like him.</p>
<p>Roswaal: "s~o Haru-kun, I've heard from Emilia-sama that you recently entered the Royal Guard. Marvelou~s you truly are a talented young ma~n. As per your agreement with Ra~m  I will grant you anything you wish for!" he exclaimed</p>
<p>His deep analysis came to a halt as the mage spoke up. Tilting his head in confusion he mutters,</p>
<p>Haru: "p-pardon?"</p>
<p>Roswaal: "m~~y I wouldn't be so rude as to not award yo~u for protecting and finding Emilia-sama's insignia. There would have been seve~re consequences if she lost it, I'm in your de~bt."</p>
<p>The list of people who have said they were indebted to him slowly got longer,</p>
<p>Haru: "oh right.."</p>
<p>The man opened his arms wide and with a wide smile he says,</p>
<p>Roswaal: "I will ensure you get anything you want, ju~st name it. anything that is in my capabilities,"</p>
<p>There it was, the big offer. A chance to ask for anything he wanted, and it would be presented before him. He practiced what to say, he spent a whole night just thinking of every possible route he could take that would lead him to his desired future. He knew exactly what to ask from him.</p>
<p>with a deep breath, he was about to take his second step in his plan of going home.</p>
<p>Haru: "I have one request, I want to be a part of your household. I'll gladly help if ever any trouble arrives involving the people who reside here. serving under you and Emilia-sama would be one of the highest honors anyone in my position could receive."  he says</p>
<p>A smirk appeared on his lips upon hearing the words of the young knight. He began to laugh as if he was pleased with his answer. As if it was the answer he was looking for,</p>
<p>Roswaal: "what a humble boy you a~~re, is that all you ask? are yo~u sure?" he asks again,</p>
<p>The young knight nodded at his question, his simple request was all he asked for. Nothing more,</p>
<p>Roswaal: "that settles i~t from now on you will be a part of my household, I look forward to getting to kno~w you, Haru-kun." he adds</p>
<p>The two stood up and shook hands, exchanging a welcoming smile that urged him to smile back.</p>
<p>Haru: "thank you, Roswaal-sama. I'll be in your care." he adds</p>
<p>
  <em>'that wasn't that bad, I thought it would be worse."</em>
</p>
<p>The two shook hands, that was it. The offer was in stone, their deal was sealed. He just took his second step.</p>
<p>They turned their heads toward the door when a loud knock took them by surprise. The handle turned and in came a young lady. Her unique hair made her recognizable, she wore a bright smile across her face as she greeted the duo.</p>
<p>Emilia: "I figured you two were discussing without me. it's nice to see you again, Haru. how have you been?" she asked,</p>
<p>The young knight immediately straightened his back and greeted the girl, </p>
<p>Haru: "it's been great so far, Emilia-sama. thank you for asking." he bowed</p>
<p>Delighted at the sight of the princess, Roswaal raised both of his arms.</p>
<p>Roswaal: "ah~~! Emilia-sama, you came at the right time. we just finished our nego~tiation my apologies for not being~ able to call you in time. you just seemed~ so busy studying, right?" he exclaimed</p>
<p>To his words, Emilia nodded. "you know I would have spared some of my time, I still had to pay him back. but anyway, what did he ask for?" she responded</p>
<p>Roswaal: "ve~ry good news! as of to~day, Haru-kun will be li~ving with us here in the ma~nsion. ma~ybe he could e~ven be yo~ur knight, Emilia-sama." he giggled</p>
<p>Her eyes widening at his words. That was it? he risked his life, spared his time, and saved her from danger. Yet all he asked for was to become a part of his household, </p>
<p>Emilia: "r-really? that's it? shouldn't you be a little more... greedy?" she muttered</p>
<p>???: "yeah, I don't think that's enough. are you sure?" another voice chimed in,</p>
<p>flying through the air, the grey spirit landed on the young knight's hair and greeted him with a smile,</p>
<p>Puck: "hey Haru, thank's again for saving Lia. I really owe you for that,"</p>
<p><em>'i-is my proposal not greedy enough...? I'm basically freeloading... it's not like I plan on staying forever anyway'</em> he thought</p>
<p>Haru: "no need to thank me, Puck. but b-being greedy isn't always good, if I wanted anything else I would have worked for it. Trust me, this is enough." he replied</p>
<p>Roswaal: "i~ndeed, you have such a way of phra~sing your words. qu~ite remarkable," he says</p>
<p>
  <em>'creepy... he's so creepy.'</em>
</p>
<p> Roswaal: " I shall take my le~ave then. Haru-kun, Ram will sh~ow you around the mansion." he added</p>
<p>and just like that, the meeting was over.</p>
<p>Haru: "oh uh, yeah... thank you Roswaal-sama." he bowed</p>
<p>He exchanged a smile with the silver-haired girl and young knight before he made his way toward the door. Fixing his clothes as he did, he suddenly stopped in the middle of the room and turned back,</p>
<p>Roswaal: "<em>I'll be expecting a lot from you</em>, Haru-kun.  " he says</p>
<p>One line sent chills down his back, his breathing halted, cold sweat ran down his forehead. Suddenly, Haru felt a surge of anxiety. Was this the power the greatest mage had? One line brought his mind to a state of panic, both mentally and physically. </p>
<p>Haru: "y-yes, Roswaal-sama... I won't disappoint." he managed to mutter a single reply.</p>
<p>His eyes narrowed as he smiled at the knight's reply, the smile that hid a thousand he made his way towards the door. </p>
<p>Roswaal: "my dear Ram, please assist Haru-ku~n to a guest room. As of today, he will be a resident of the ma~nsion. tre~at him with re~spect," he adds</p>
<p>Ram: "as you wish, Roswaal-sama." she replied</p>
<p>With her words, the greatest mage left for his office,</p>
<hr/>
<p>Ram: "and that concludes the tour of the mansion, any further concerns?" she asked</p>
<p>After a few banters and jokes, the whole tour came to an end. The young knight was surprised at the progression of their relationship. Though it was filled with one-sided insults, he enjoyed the whole tour.</p>
<p>Haru: "none at all, but I noticed that you and Rem-san are the only maids here. yet this place is spotless! you two are amazing." he complimented</p>
<p>unphased by his remark, the pink-haired maid nodded.</p>
<p>Ram: "yes, yes. Ram appreciates your compliment, Haru-sama. or should I say, Bakaharu. your questions earlier today really lowered my expectations from you, considering you're a knight." she replied</p>
<p>Haru: "w-whatever you call me is fine... but you didn't have to insult me like that, I-I was curious..." he muttered</p>
<p>Ram: "must you ask where the bathroom is every five minutes? you have such a small bladder. no... you have a bad memory, you could always walk back to the same bathroom from wherever you are. you pitiful boy, it hurts to even look at you." she says</p>
<p>Her insults hit him like sticks and stones, yet he never took any of them personally. He was already used to having conversations that went just like this. He found people like her enjoyable and fun to talk to, but he also found out that people who spoke in sharp tongues tend to mask their own emotions through their words.</p>
<p>They hide their concern through reprimanding, and they hid their sadness by speaking in a tempered tone. His wolf companion spoke in a similar way, which only made him understand and know the depth of Ram's character in the novel.</p>
<p>Haru: "well a-anyway... if you two need help with anything, I could lend a hand." he says</p>
<p>She raised her eyebrow at his comment, him? A knight was willing to stoop as low as a butler? He had to be joking,</p>
<p>Ram: "I'm not sure if you're being considerate, or just plain stupid. As far as Rem and I are concerned, you are a permanent guest, you don't need to trouble yourself with having to do any work around the mansion... sadly," she sighed</p>
<p>Haru: "hm? it isn't wrong to lend a hand, a-and it's not like I have no knowledge in that sort of thing, I know how to cook. p-plus... I d-don't want to be a free-loader or anything..."</p>
<p>With a misleading sigh, she put her hands on her waist as if she had no other choice but to agree to his offer. In reality, she was glad that he even bothered to help.</p>
<p>Ram: "very well, Rem and I shall ask for your assistance if we need to. maybe you're not such a deadbeat man," she replied</p>
<p><em>'o-oh... I didn't expect her to accept my offer that quick..'</em> he thought.</p>
<p>The two continued their walk through the corridor as Ram continued her long report on what goes on in the Mansion. Including who the mansion's residents were,</p>
<p>Ram: "okay Bakaharu, I'll say this in a way where you can easily understand. that small brain of yours can't really hold a lot of information. but there is another person in this mansion. she's contracted to guard the library, so if you ever end up running into her then please treat her with respect." she says,</p>
<p>The image of a blonde-haired girl flashed in his head, bounded by a contract that restricted her from ever leaving.</p>
<p><em>'there's her too... just thinking about how many people I need to be aware of is exhausting... but a library? I'd love to read a book in there'</em> he thought,</p>
<p>Haru: "contracted... okay, got it. I will." he nodded back,</p>
<p>Suddenly he felt a sudden feeling in his gut upon passing by a door. He stopped in his tracks, causing the pink-haired maid to look back at him,</p>
<p>Ram: "Bakaharu? don't tell me you're wondering where the bathroom is on this section of the mansion... I've lost all hope for you, you pitiful excuse for a knight." she sighed,</p>
<p>Haru: "pitiful...h-huh? anyway... I really need to this time, " he muttered</p>
<p>furrowing her brows, she quickly replied with,</p>
<p>Ram: "surprisingly, you stopped right in front of the bathroom door. go ahead," she says while pointing at the door to his left,</p>
<p>He nodded at her response and reached out for the doorknob. he prepared to relieve himself but what greeted him made his mouth drop,</p>
<p>???: "H-How did you get in here, I suppose." the voice asked,</p>
<p>Petite girl, blonde hair tied into two twin drills. Stunning blue eyes with a pink butterfly pattern in the center, with her chin resting on her hand as she sat on her stepladder, glaring at the young knight who mistakingly entered her room.</p>
<p><em>'woah... this is her?'</em> he thought</p>
<p>The aromatic smell of books infested his nostrils, a seemingly endless corridor of books stacked on shelves caught his attention. He would have enjoyed staying here,</p>
<p>Ram: "oh what a coincidence, you found her. Beatrice-sama, this is Bakaharu. I mean Haru, he will be our new resident from now on." she introduced the young knight,</p>
<p>Haru: "pleasure to meet you, Beatrice-sama. I entered the wrong room, I'm sorry." he bowed</p>
<p>One thing flashed in his mind, it's the fact that he was able to have the mannerisms of a Knight even if he was only granted the position a few days ago. </p>
<p><em>'w-where was this quick learning when I was training with Hakurou-sensei...' </em> he thought,</p>
<p>Turning her head away from his direction the Blonde sighed,</p>
<p>Beatrice: "I find it rather rude that you barged in here all of a sudden,in fact. you're truly disrespectful, I suppose." she complained</p>
<p>She spoke with arrogance, she constantly looked down on everyone around her. </p>
<p>Haru: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you or anything..." he apologized</p>
<p>Ram: "please show the patience you are known for, Beatrice-sama. Bakaharu was only looking for the bathroom, he stepped in here by mistake." she added</p>
<p>The petite blonde sighed again and got out of her stepladder as she marched toward the young knight,</p>
<p>Beatrice: " Betty is rather amazed that you were able to find this room, in fact. " she comments</p>
<p>With no time to react, the blonde directed her palm to his chest. Boom! he fell to his knees.</p>
<p>Haru: "aaaaaugh.." he groaned,</p>
<p>He started to become weak in his knees, causing him to topple over.  This enraged the pink-haired maid beside him, causing her to quickly rush toward the fallen boy,</p>
<p>Ram: "Beatrice-sama! For what reason did you do this?!" she shouted</p>
<p>With a glare, she made her way back to her seat, "hmph, check your tone with me Maid. Betty only checked if he had any ill intentions, I suppose." she comments</p>
<p>She went down on her knees and hovered over the fallen knight. "bakaharu, are you okay?" she asked,</p>
<p>The young knight used his elbows to support himself as he got up. She did the exact same thing to Natsuki Subaru in the novels, she drained him of his mana.</p>
<p>Haru: "ah... yeah, it wasn't that bad I-I guess..." he sighed</p>
<p>He got up and dusted off his clothes as if nothing happened earlier, this surprised the blonde. Her eyes widened as she spoke up,</p>
<p>Beatrice: "oh? Betty's surprised you're still standing. what a unique boy you are...but I'd prefer if you would leave now, I suppose. Shoo Shoo." she gestured her hand,</p>
<p>The pink-haired maid and young knight looked at each other and bowed, before leaving the Library. Left isolated once more in her personal room.</p>
<p>Her mind couldn't stop thinking about him, the moment he came in her own eyes widened in shock. She masked it with her usual mannerisms, yet she couldn't hide that she was astonished. He reminded her of the boy that was described to him all those years ago, but he was a completely different person. His name, his hair, his eyes, none of it was like how she imagined.</p>
<p>???: "did you feel anything weird about him?" a voice chimed in,</p>
<p>She looked to her right and saw a grey cat spirit hovering on the table, she quickly fixed her form.</p>
<p>Beatrice: "Bubby...t-there's nothing bad about him, in fact. he did have an absurd amount of mana, more than what a normal person could ever have..." she replied</p>
<p>Puck: "he's not normal, no doubt about it. I've seen how he fights, and it's completely different from our own magic." he added</p>
<p>Puck had seen his skill first-hand, he knows how dangerous and how powerful he is when fighting. His own skills were unique, he had never seen anyone else use them before.</p>
<p>Beatrice: "that j-just proves Betty's doubts a-about him..." she muttered</p>
<p>Puck: "I see... do you think he's the boy Roswaal has been talking about before?" he asked</p>
<p>Raising her head at his question, her face filled with worry.</p>
<p>Beatrice: "no! absolutely not! it can't be him... it must be s-someone else." she cried out</p>
<p>Furrowing his brows, he looked toward the door. "but think about it... isn't it a coincidence that Lia and I suddenly met him? I care about him, and I know Lia does too! If he stays here he's going t-"</p>
<p>Aggravated by the great spirit's claim, she stood up from her stepladder and shouted,</p>
<p>Beatrice: "Betty is not letting that happen! a-anything but that!" she exclaimed,</p>
<p>Taken aback, Puck lowered his gaze, "sorry... Betty, I went too far..." he apologized</p>
<p>With a deep breath, she sat back down "i-it's fine... Bubby." she says</p>
<p>Silence filled the room where they stood, no one spoke a word to each other. The thought of that ever happening would be horrendous. It couldn't have been him, it has to be someone else, right?</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Haru: "well... I'd say that went well," he says</p>
<p>The pink-haired maid raised one of her eyebrows at his words, completely doubting him.</p>
<p>Ram: "Bakaharu, what part of that whole thing went well?" she replied</p>
<p>With a cheerful smile, the young knight giggled. "well at least she didn't throw us out using magic. that's a good thing, right?"</p>
<p>Ram: "Hah, So you're optimistic, I see. That will get the better of you one day." she laughed,</p>
<p>A vein appeared on his forehead as she said this, <em>'d-don't jinx me... nee-sama'. </em>He shook off his thoughts and spoke up again,</p>
<p>Haru: "a-anyway, one more thing. I know someone who lives in the village near here, so if I'm not around then I will most likely be in the village." </p>
<p>Ram: "I see, so Bakaharu is optimistic and friendly. you disgusting creature, I hope you don't have any fetishes that involve the villagers." she says</p>
<p>Her face morphed into a disgusted expression as if she was about to barf, she covered her mouth with her hand and began to gag.</p>
<p>Haru: "i-is that what you think of me?! it's n-not the case at all...  I help him with his business... sort of, he's a merchant." he sighed</p>
<p>Giggling in place, Ram smirked.</p>
<p>Ram: "I understand, then please do inform Rem or I if ever you will be heading to the village." she replied,</p>
<p>Nodding his head in agreement, the smug maid spoke up again,</p>
<p>Ram: "by the way, Bakaharu. what was that ridiculous mask you were wearing earlier, were you mocking Roswaal-sama? you vile monster, get out of my sight." she exclaimed</p>
<p>Haru: "n-not at all! it's sort of a keepsake... why would you jump to that conclusion?" he asked,</p>
<p>Raising her shoulders for a shrug, she replied with "it's unique, I've never seen that type of design anywhere before. are you a foreigner?" she asked</p>
<p>Stopping in his tracks, he was surprised at the maid's question. </p>
<p>Haru: "f-foreigner? why do you say so?" he asked,</p>
<p>Ram: "your hair makes you look like an old man, and plus your eye color is weird, so make that a blind old man. oh... maybe you are an Old man? but your face makes everything complicated, you would blend in well with the kids in the village.... shit, You pedophile! how old are you?!" she says</p>
<p><em>'w-wow... that's harsh... way too harsh!' </em>he thought,</p>
<p>He was aware that his looks were anything other than normal. But there had to be someone who shared the same hair color, right?</p>
<p>Haru: "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that... I'm sixteen! a-and I don't think I can control my hair and eye color... and yeah I grew up somewhere else, is there a problem?"</p>
<p>Ram: "I figured so, I was just making sure." she laughed,</p>
<p>Haru: "so that whole insult was for nothing?!"</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>The tour turned into a long talk, making them go around the mansion for another round. They only realized that they had already passed by that place was when they stumbled upon the familiar door that led to the bathroom.</p>
<p>He thanked her for the tour and asked her to direct him on how to arrive at the village nearby. He would be going there for two reasons;</p>
<p>One was to ask Otto for lessons. He never learned how to read or write, and he was far too embarrassed to ask Ram about it. </p>
<p>And two, he needed to check the village for the threat that would come the next day. The earlier he fixes it, then the earlier he gets to rest. As simple as that,</p>
<p>Haru: "thank you again for the tour, I'll be visiting the village now. would you like to come?" he asked</p>
<p>She lowered her head to the young knight. Their friendly banter earlier that day was over, and now they went back to maid and knight.</p>
<p>Ram: "unfortunately, I still have to prepare for dinner. be back before then, Bakaharu." she scolded him,</p>
<p>He flinched at the sudden parenting displayed by Ram, forcing him to bow in front of her as if she were in a higher position. </p>
<p>Haru: "y-yes nee-sama, I won't be long." he muttered</p>
<p>Ram: "good, it seems like you remember the directions so be on your way now. I can't stand looking at you any longer," she says as she waved him goodbye,</p>
<p>He waved his hand and began to walk towards the village, the maid insisted that she drive him to the village. But he further explained that he wanted to indulge in the scenery of the road, though she was confused by this, she accepted his reason and allowed him to go.</p>
<p>Even Haru knew that Ram was just glad that she wouldn't be getting any extra work, this fact made him laugh.</p>
<p>Another thing he absolutely needed to do, was to strategize. </p>
<p>Haru: "a night huh? I have a night worth of rest before it happens..." he says</p>
<p>He felt the warm breeze of the wind as it blew his hair, and the sound of the trees moving to the gentle breeze. With the unpaved road ahead of him, he was alone. Left with his own thoughts, with the directions Ram told him being repeated by the voice in his head.</p>
<p>It was relaxing, most probably the most relaxed he's been these past few days. Despite the fact that he had to fight against his biggest weakness the day after, he enjoyed the calm serenity of the road that led to Irlam Village.</p>
<p>He set up a few rules he would have to stick with tomorrow;</p>
<p>
  <b>RULES:</b>
</p>
<p>1. Avoid getting bitten by the cute dog.</p>
<p>This rule was especially hard, considering he loved animals.</p>
<p>2. Do not let the maid get bitten by the dog.</p>
<p>3. Win the trust of both the villagers and the maids.</p>
<p>4. Stick to the successful loop of that event.</p>
<p>In the successful loop, Roswaal leaves earlier that day to 'take rounds outside'. That was his sign that will prove if he did that loop correctly. He only had one shot, and he wasn't going to waste it.</p>
<p>Haru: "then, defeat the wolgarms. easy enough... hopefully." he muttered,</p>
<p>The only thing he worried about now, was the incapability of his body to have the resistance against curses. He was inflicted with a lot of curses in the past, be it a sudden magicule curse due to overusing skills. Or a curse caused by accidentally touching a haunted pillar, it never ended well.</p>
<p>The only way it got off from him was when his master physically removed it. And even with the absurd amount of times he had been cursed, he never gained resistance to it.</p>
<p>Haru: "this is going to be tough" he sighed,</p>
<p>He could always teleport back to the Library's guardian who had the skill to remove curses. But constantly doing that while battling would cause nothing more than trouble.</p>
<p>Haru: "but it can't be that hard," </p>
<p>He remained positive, he wasn't going to allow simple curses to wear him down. He'd slaughter the wolgarms and gain their skill to inflict curses no problem,</p>
<p>It wasn't long until he reached the bridge that led to the village, he crossed it and there he saw it. A village surrounded by multiple forests and large meadows. With small houses scattered around the area. A clearing can be seen in the center where a large house stood, on its roof was a tall red flag.</p>
<p>He walked through the crowds of villages who looked at the young knight who made his way inside, he exchanged smiles with the girls and he raised his hand to wave at the adults. Soon he approached the merchant who talked with a few of the villagers.</p>
<p>Haru: "Otto, looks like you've settled already. is it going well?" he asked</p>
<p>The grey-haired merchant turned his head and ran towards the young knight,</p>
<p>Otto: "T-Tempest-san! thank you! thank you! thank you!" he exclaimed while jumping on the young knight, making them drop to the ground.</p>
<p>Haru: "f-for what?!"</p>
<p>Otto: "t-the villagers loved your idea! t-they're trying i-it out tomorrow!" he exclaimed</p>
<p>A simple idea that came from the back of his head, actually worked? He told Otto the simple mechanics of how to make ice cream, a sweet frozen delight that would surely attract the attention of both children and adults.</p>
<p>But the fact that the ingredients were available was amazing. </p>
<p>Haru: "o-oh you mean the-!"</p>
<p>Otto: "yes! completely right Tempest-san! the eyes scream!" he cried out</p>
<p>His face shifted into utter disgust, just imagining what eyes scream could look like almost made him barf,</p>
<p>Haru: "is t-that what you told them!? it's ice cream! ice! cream!" he exclaimed</p>
<p>With his face growing red, and his cheeks getting wet with tears. Otto was brought up to his feet as he rushed to the villagers to apologize, he bowed in front of them, and frantically asked for forgiveness. </p>
<p>Otto: "i-i'm terribly sorry! it's called ice cream!" he says</p>
<p>Suddenly all of the villager's heads threw back as if they were disappointed, how could they let such a big mistake slip by them? why didn't they doubt the food that had such a creepy name? compare eyes scream to ice cream, no doubt the second sounded more edible.</p>
<p>Haru: "t-there goes his sales..." he sighed,</p>
<p>Suddenly, he felt a tug on his shirt. He looked down and saw a group of kids almost a foot shorter than he was. He bent down on one knee and gave them the brightest smile anyone could ever give,</p>
<p>Haru: "hey, is there a problem?" he asks</p>
<p>???: "hey, hey, hey! what's that thing you have there?" the young boy asked,</p>
<p>He pointed towards the young knight's side, the white mask took the boy's attention. He took it and handed it to him, "this?" he says</p>
<p>He nodded his head slowly and reached his hand out to touch the mask. </p>
<p>???: "woah... it's so cool...got it!" </p>
<p>Suddenly the group broke into a sprint, running away from the clearing as they made their way into the forest.</p>
<p>Haru: "h-hey, w-wait give that back!" he shouted while chasing after them</p>
<p>They split up and disappeared into the shrubs and bushes in the forest, but the young knight continued his spring. He turned left and ran faster, trying to catch up to the naughty kids who suddenly disappeared into the forest. It wasn't long until he found himself at another clearing, except this time. He was in a vast field of flowers,</p>
<p>He looked around, turning his head to the left and to the right. All he could see were flowers, purple, pink, light blue. Every possible type of flower he could name was there.</p>
<p>Haru: "w-woah..." he muttered</p>
<p>He had never seen such peaceful scenery. He never even knew places like these existed in this universe. He was mesmerized, the birds were fluttering in the air. The soft breeze against his clothes made it dance in the wind. The gentle sway of all the grass and tall flower beds all went in the same direction. The sun on the horizon finished it off, giving everything around him a warm and vibrant feel. </p>
<p>He was lost in its beauty, totally captivated, he was completely immersed and lost in the moment that he forgot the reason he came here. He felt his shoulders relax, his body seemed less tense. All of his worries disappeared with every deep breath he took. He closed his eyes, the warm flutter of his eyelashes and the warm smile that was brought to his face gave them the urge to join him.</p>
<p>But who would want to disturb a guy who seemed completely immersed in his own world?</p>
<p>???: "c-can you return it... you're the one who took it!" the young girl exclaimed,</p>
<p>???: "e-eh? w-why me!? s-she was  the o-one who asked us to do it!" he shouted back,</p>
<p>???: "t-this is bad... really bad! just drop it and make a run for it!" another kid added</p>
<p>He slowly opened his eyes upon hearing the faint whispers behind him, suddenly he disappeared.</p>
<p>???: "h-hey! h-he disappeared!" another girl exclaimed,</p>
<p>???: "t-that's so cool!"</p>
<p>???: "h-hey but where'd he go!?" </p>
<p>The group was both amazed and frightened, how could someone just completely vanish in front of them?</p>
<p><em>'oh? they're totally messing with me.'</em> he thought,</p>
<p>No doubt, He could only blame one person for this. The grey-haired merchant, he most probably told the village kids about the young knight who was going to come.</p>
<p><em>'tsk... Otto that big idiot... going for the mask already.'</em> he complained</p>
<p>If it was another one of Otto's marketing strategies to mass-produce his mask with the same design by using kids to take it from him, then he was stupid. But the young Knight wasn't mad, in fact, it just proved that Otto would be staying for the long run. And nothing cheered him up more than that,</p>
<p>???: "l-look for him!"? another kid exclaimed,</p>
<p>They looked around, nothing was standing out from the field of colorful flowers. They climbed on the small hill that overlooked the field, yet they still couldn't find him. They began to panic more thinking they enraged the young knight. Until;</p>
<p>Haru: "gotcha!" he exclaimed</p>
<p>He jumped from behind the kids, they jumped when they suddenly saw him appear behind them. Suddenly they all fell backward, tumbling down the small hill. Crushing all the flowers under the weight of their body as they slowly made their way down.</p>
<p>From his own momentum, the young knight came with. Landing on his chest as his legs curled up in a discomforting position as he toppled down with the kids. When they finally got pulled to a stop, none of them uttered a word. Instead, they all burst out laughing.</p>
<p>???: "that was fun! say let's do it again!" the boy exclaimed,</p>
<p>They threw their arms up in joy, who knew such an accident could make them so happy. Grass and petals were scattered all around their body, all the buds of pollen spread across their face slowly dropped as they laughed,</p>
<p>Haru: "so, what was that all about?" he giggled</p>
<p>The kid's expressions then shifted into a guilty and pleading one. One kid began to mutter numbers and suddenly all of their heads dropped,</p>
<p>"we're sorry for taking your mask!" they apologized</p>
<p>His eyes widened at their sudden apology, "w-wait! lift your heads, it's okay!" he says back,</p>
<p>???: "no really! we're sorry!"</p>
<p>???: "please don't hate us!"</p>
<p>???: "but we had so much fun playing with you earlier! w-we're sorry!" they all exclaimed</p>
<p>Apologies one after another, he felt himself sigh and laugh at how ridiculous their reason was. They gave back the mask and their pleading continued.</p>
<p>Haru: "s-seriously, it's not a big deal. I had fun too." he says</p>
<p>The kids finally relaxed, as if they were holding in a deep breath they sank into the bed of flowers. Relieved and free from the guilt that was eating them up for the past ten minutes,</p>
<p>???: "thank heavens, I thought you would get mad." one of the kids says</p>
<p>Haru: "get mad? I knew you were messing with me from the start, you idiots." he replied</p>
<p>???: "no way! w-we weren't even that obvious!" the young girl replied,</p>
<p>Haru: "you so were! I saw right through all of you." </p>
<p>???: "ugh, damn it! why would she tell kids to do it in the first place?!" the young boy exclaimed</p>
<p>The kid's expression shifted, their big secret was out. "you complete idiot!" they shouted as they began to scold the boy. Pulling on his ears and grabbing him by the collar, his slip up could cause so much trouble.</p>
<p>Haru: "w-wait stop! you're gonna kill him!",</p>
<p>???: "he should stay dead!" they replied back,</p>
<p>Haru: "w-what?! stop!" </p>
<p>He extended his arms and stopped the small fight, he was completely confused why they were so angered about the young boy 'slipping up' about a secret. This never happened in the novels, did reality change because of him? "hey, did someone ask you to do this?" he asked them,</p>
<p>???: "n-no one in particular!"</p>
<p>???: "y-your mask is c-cool, that's all!"</p>
<p>Whether it was their own words or expressions, they were an open book. He saw right through them, they were obviously hiding something from him. But he had no reason to question them since he had already solved the problem,</p>
<p>Haru: "r-right... so be it" he says</p>
<p>The kids sighed and lowered their heads again,</p>
<p>???: "w-we're sorry." </p>
<p>The young knight began to recollect his memories of the book, he changed how events were supposed to play out again. <em>'hopefully nothing bad comes out of this..'</em> he muttered,</p>
<p>Haru: "don't stress about it, it's fine if you can't tell me. I know a thing or two about that," he replied</p>
<p>He dusted off the flowers on his uniform and sat properly, he extended his right hand toward the kids and introduced himself,</p>
<p>Haru: "anyway, my name is Haru. what are yours?" he asked</p>
<p>Then, the kids introduced themselves,</p>
<p>???: "I'm Cain!"</p>
<p>???: "and I'm Dine!"</p>
<p>???: "the name's Lucas!"</p>
<p>???: "my name is Meina!"</p>
<p>???: "I-I'm Mild...!" </p>
<p>His eyes shifted from one kid to another, to the young boy, Cain, who had brown eyes and brown hair, and Dine had the same features as him.</p>
<p>Haru: "are you two siblings?" he asked</p>
<p>Cain: "no way! there's no way I'm related to this ugly frog!" he exclaimed,</p>
<p>Dine: "you have to be joking! you're the ugly one here!" he shouted back</p>
<p>He tried to keep his laugh from spilling out, considering they both looked similar. They were basically admitting they were ugly,</p>
<p>Then, his head turned towards the girl with reddish-brown hair who hid behind her friend.</p>
<p>Haru: "and you are?" he asked her</p>
<p>Her body twitched as she muttered her name,</p>
<p>???: "Petra... my name is Petra." she says</p>
<p>A smile formed on his face as he sat upright. "it's nice to meet you all, " he says</p>
<p>They interacted for the rest of the day, talking about what inspired them and their dreams. What they planned to achieve and what they did on their free days, but because of obvious reasons, Haru never answered questions regarding school. They would meet the minimum age required to start a job, in a few months they would reach adulthood. So jobs became a subject they dwelled on,</p>
<p>Lucas: "I want to be the village's best woodcutter!"</p>
<p>Petra: "I want to make clothes in the capital!"</p>
<p>One by one, they shared their dreams, Ranging from making crowns made of flowers, to vowing to be a good big sister. Their eyes were burning with passion, and even he knew that it would take a lot to extinguish. Then it was his turn,</p>
<p>"What's your dream Haru? did you reach it yet?" </p>
<p>They personally thought he did, at such a young age he entered the Royale Guard. He made a name for himself throughout the kingdom, that must have been what he wanted, right?  Who would work hard for something that they didn't even want? Who would go through hardships just for someone else's sake?</p>
<p>So seeing him achieve 'his dream' they admired him, they wanted to be like him. </p>
<p>Haru: "my dream?" he muttered,</p>
<p>Joining the Royale Guard was never his dream. He would have never thought he would become a knight in his lifetime. He was still pissed that he basically got his life taken away from him. His freedom, his peaceful life, and most importantly his family. </p>
<p>
  <em>'my dream, huh?"</em>
</p>
<p>He was a simple boy who dreamed of nothing more than peace and harmony. Peace within himself and those around him. It was all he cared about, and they were all he had. He was going to work hard to ensure that he would enjoy his new life in that kingdom.</p>
<p> So he trained, trained hard every day. To achieve his dream, he needed to be strong. To feel at peace, he had to protect his family. He loved them with all his heart and He was slowly getting closer to it, almost three years of his life was spent to achieve it and the closest he's gotten to it was a brief moment of a feeling that was magical and surreal.</p>
<p>Until the worst thing possible happened and he was brought here. He dreaded it, he hated it so much. It had to be on the day they were attacked. It all felt so unreal, he couldn't believe his eyes. But in less than half a day he learned to accept it. </p>
<p>He was mad, who knows what happened right after he disappeared? He wouldn't forgive himself if anything bad happened to them, the world could strip him of everything he had. But if he lost the people he was working so hard for, then his dream would be for nothing.</p>
<p>Petra: "look! the flowers!" she exclaimed</p>
<p>They turned their heads and saw dozens upon dozens of petals making their way towards the group. A soft wave brushed past them. Sticking to their clothes, their hair, their skin. Every possible surface accessible, </p>
<p>As they dusted off the petals, their eyes landed on the field of flowers in front of them. The sun had begun to set, and the flowers began to dance along with the breeze. Left to right, forward and back. The sight was pretty enough earlier, but the view now was ethereal. The warm colors and the widest color palette ever available took the form of flowers.</p>
<p>They watched the scene, they were totally immersed in the world that he saw previously. Anyone would stop in their tracks to witness it. Everything about it was perfect, they couldn't point out a single thing that ruined it. But the feeling it gave them was all the more heartwarming, they felt calm and safe. They felt relaxed and composed. Nothing but peace and harmony<em>.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>'this again...!'</em>
</p>
<p>He felt the same thing the first time he saw the kingdom of Tempest from the hill. That moment made its spot in his heart, it was a tease to what he would constantly feel if his dream came true. he longed for it. Absolutely nothing compared to that,</p>
<p>But there it was again, the feeling he thought he could never find anywhere else.</p>
<p>Haru: "I want to go home, that's it. that's my dream." he answered</p>
<p>No matter how much time would pass by, his dream would never change. He wanted to feel that serenity and harmony forever, wherever that is, is where his home is. That's what he believes,</p>
<hr/>
<p>???: " Ram did mention you were a foreigner, so where are you from?" she asked,</p>
<p>She took a seat beside the young night who accompanied her as she completed her daily routine of talking to her minor spirits. They just finished having dinner and she noticed him walk outside the mansion. She had to talk to her minor spirits anyway, so why not accompany him?</p>
<p>Haru: "Emilia-sama... I'm from a... small village out of the country." he muttered</p>
<p>He wasn't sure how to explain that he got teleported to a new world, so he settled for the closest thing that felt more believable,</p>
<p>Emilia: "I see, then what were you doing in the Capital?" she asked</p>
<p>Quick, he had to think of a reason. Any reason would do,</p>
<p>Haru: "e-erm... something bad happened and I just woke up here, honestly, I don't know that much about what happened..." he sighed,</p>
<p>Emilia: "oh... you were in a worse situation than me..." she says</p>
<p>Haru: "I guess so..." he mutters,</p>
<p>She couldn't understand why he even bothered helping her if he had such a big problem at hand. And if he was from a small village, then he would be aware of the world's history. Even with that knowledge,  he stayed kind.</p>
<p>Emilia: "why?" she asked</p>
<p>His heart raced, why was she asking? </p>
<p>Haru: "what d-do you mean?" he asked her,</p>
<p>Emilia: "you could have looked for a way back to your village, instead you helped Reinhard and I find my insignia... so why?" she replied,</p>
<p>Even he didn't know. He confused himself why he even bothered to help, she was right. </p>
<p>Haru: "I-I don't know... or at least I can't answer it yet." he replied</p>
<p>She looked at him and lowered her head, "I see... so you'll be leaving soon?" she says in an unpleased tone,</p>
<p>Was she sad that he was going to leave soon? He didn't belong there, and he didn't owe anyone anything. So he was free to leave whenever he wanted to but-</p>
<p>Haru: "as I said, it's not easy to get back. I still have a lot of stuff to do before going back, and there are things I still need to know..." he says</p>
<p>A pained "I see" escaped her lips at his response, she turned away from the boy. They just met, but why did she feel so sad knowing that he had to go soon? </p>
<p>Haru: "there are people that are waiting for me, people I love. but I can't just leave everything here as it is, you know?" he adds</p>
<p>She looked back at the boy and spoke up, "and why is that...?" she uttered,</p>
<p>If he decided to leave the moment he arrived then everything would change. If he chose to dwell off of the path that was already paved for him, then no doubt the country would change dramatically, and what if there was no other method to get what he wanted?</p>
<p>But for a more understandable answer, he simply says;</p>
<p>Haru: "well... there are things worth staying for, friends, fields, things like that. but there's no escaping the fact that I'll be gone someday." </p>
<p>What a tragic way to end his sentence, worry, and sadness filled her heart the more she analyzed his words.</p>
<p>Emilia: "you're talking as if there's more to it than just leaving..." she muttered,</p>
<p>Haru: "who knows, the world can be cruel and rid me of my dreams."</p>
<p>It scared her that she couldn't get exactly what he was saying, she tilted her head to show her confusion. </p>
<p>Emilia: "I don't really get it... but I want to help you this time, I'll make sure you get to see the greatest things in Lugnica that will stay with you even when you leave. You'll have dreams about it!" she says</p>
<p>His eyes widened in surprise, a warm feeling invaded his chest as he began to giggle " got it, I'll look forward to that."</p>
<p>Haru: "in return, I'll help you with whatever troubles you too. i-is that fine with you?" he replies,</p>
<p>Emilia: "wait! you can't say that right after I promise y-"</p>
<p>Haru: "s-sorry, I've never seen a relationship that was one-sided and worked. we're friends, it's obvious I'd have your back if something is troubling you." He interrupts,</p>
<p>Friends? did she hear that right? Maybe he made a mistake, "w-what?" ,</p>
<p>Emilia: "f-friends?" she asked </p>
<p>Haru: "y-yeah..." he uttered,</p>
<p>Emilia: "friends... I can't believe I'd be hearing that tonight.... Haru, you goofball."</p>
<p>A smile rose on her cheeks as she thanked the white-haired boy in front of her. His words felt so sincere that she didn't doubt it for a second time. A simple sentence made her day that was usually composed of a schedule made up of mainly studying, and to end it off with such a lovely talk made it better for her,</p>
<p>Haru: "I'm serious about it, but a-anyway. I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time Emilia-sama, I know you must be tired. Let's call it a day,"</p>
<p>The knight stood up and helped the princess up, </p>
<p>Emilia: "it's fine, you should rest too. I'm glad I have someone like you." she replies,</p>
<p>Haru: "me too... let me escort you to the mansion." he says</p>
<p>With her hand clinging to his arm, he led her to the main corridor where they would part ways. A simple task like this came naturally for him since he always did it with Shuna when asked of him. The two talked more on their way and soon they finally had to greet each other goodnight,</p>
<p>Emilia: "Goodnight Haru, sweet dreams." she says with a smile,</p>
<p>His eyes closing as he smiled back at her, "sweet dreams, Emilia. I'll see you in the morning." he replied,</p>
<p>They exchanged their smiles and now it was time to go to bed, as he walked through the seemingly endless corridor. It came to his attention the number of times he passed by the same vase, same stripes, same shape.</p>
<p>And it was the same, he had been passing by a repeating corridor that would never end,</p>
<p>Haru: "c-crap..." he says,</p>
<p>He looked around with his fingers running through his hair, why did he have to get stuck there now? He had no recollection of showing that he was a threat to anyone in the mansion, so how did he anger the only person here he could possibly go to if worse comes to worst?</p>
<p>Haru: "w-what a pain..." he sighed,</p>
<p>He was tired and he couldn't think of any other way to get back to his room besides teleporting to it or by searching every door one by one,</p>
<p><b>Spatial Magic</b>, he activated the skill and stepped forward. He sank into the ground and waited for him to arrive. When he finally did, he got up from the floor and walked to where his bed was supposed to be,</p>
<p>Haru: "what..." he muttered,</p>
<p>His bed was gone, actually, he wasn't even in his room. How could he mess up a simple skill? </p>
<p>Beatrice: "you're here again, I suppose." she says,</p>
<p>His head shifted over to see the petite-blonde in her usual seat. Speaking in a way as if she didn't just trap him in an endless corridor a minute ago,</p>
<p>Haru: "I'm sorry... did I teleport to the w-wrong room?" he asked,</p>
<p>He couldn't have, he knew exactly where his room was and he was sure he teleported there. The only thing he could think of now was the Blonde's power to switch around all the rooms in the mansion, and he was right.</p>
<p>Beatrice: "no, in fact, this is your room... for tonight I suppose." she answered,</p>
<p>For tonight? this definitely didn't happen in the novels,</p>
<p>Haru: "d-did I do something bad? why am I here..." he muttered,</p>
<p>He recalled everything he did that day, he followed his plan and executed it perfectly. Unless <em>'i-it was the mask wasn't it?!'</em> he thought,</p>
<p>Beatrice: "were you not listening? Fine,  perhaps Betty needs to elaborate more for someone of your intelligence to understand. Bubby and I have decided to let you sleep here for your first night. In fact, think of this as a great blessing I suppose. Not everyone is given the luxury of sleeping in Betty's divine library, " she says</p>
<p>With a proud smile on her face, she pointed to the bed in the corner of the room. A big king-sized bed with white sheets and visibly soft pillows. It truly was a luxury,</p>
<p>Haru: "I guess I asked the wrong question... did I do something for me to deserve this?" he replied,</p>
<p>The librarian hesitated, making sure not to give any wrong idea, "you did nothing in fact! B-Bubby just asked me to let you s-sleep here for the night I suppose!" she exclaimed</p>
<p>She turned away from the young boy and continued,</p>
<p>Beatrice: "y-your clothes are on the bed already I suppose... Betty doesn't mind you sleeping here... but if you could l-limit your snoring you would be at least a little bit more bearable.  Now go," </p>
<p>Using wind magic she pushed the boy towards the bed, his face planted on the sheets and his body bending in a painful direction. He groaned and sat up, in his hands were the clothes he bought prior to coming to the manor. </p>
<p>He already unloaded his stuff earlier that day, but for Puck and Beatrice to go through his stuff was unsettling for him. He sighed and began to take off his clothes to change,</p>
<p>Beatrice: "c-change somewhere I can't see you, I suppose!" she shouted,</p>
<p>Using the blanket he covered himself even if he already had his new clothes on, his face was red with embarrassment. "w-why were you looking here?!" he shouted back,</p>
<p>He fixed his clothes and took a few steps toward the blonde and spoke,</p>
<p>Haru: "erm... thank you, Beatrice-sama. I don't understand why I have to sleep here,  but I'm thankful for you letting me stay here." he says</p>
<p>Beatrice: "you should be I suppose, now go away." she replied while gesturing her finger to point at the bed,</p>
<p>Haru: "r-right, sweet dreams Beatrice." he giggled as he walked back to the bed,</p>
<p>He was slightly weirded out by this, but he had other things to worry about. Tomorrow, he has to accompany the two maids to the village for that event to work in his favor. <em>'tomorrow... i'll do it without a fail'</em> he though</p>
<p>Her eyes followed him as he did, and when she was sure he had finally fallen asleep under the covers. She pulled out a book from under her chair and held it close to her chest. A book with black binding and black covers, she held it firmly as if her life depended on it. Her face was downcast, muttering the same sentence under her breath over and over.</p>
<p>Beatrice: "It can't be him...It can't be him...It can't be him...It can't be him...It can't be him...It can't be him...It can't be him...It can't be him...It can't be him...It can't be him..." she repeated,</p>
<p>Until finally she stopped,</p>
<p>Beatrice: "w-why him..."</p>
<p>
  <b>TO BE CONTINUED</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Next Chapter: Curses and Unfamiliar Faces</b>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Curses and Unfamiliar Faces</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>His morning wasn't exactly the greatest, but he got to connect and bond with everyone in the Mansion. With a positive outlook on what's to come, he had no worries.</p><p>Is what he thought,</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry, this was so late :( I had writer's block, but anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter! And Happy Holidays as well :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Arc 2: Curses and Blessings</strong>
</p><p>As he forced his body to get up, his eyes looked around. He was out of the library and back in his own room. He had no recollection of ever getting up and walking back to his bed, but here he was.</p><p>He still had no explanation on why he was asked to sleep there, but he wasn't complaining. It was one of the softest beds anyone could ever sleep on, he fell asleep so quickly it almost felt rude.</p><p>While indulging in his beauty sleep, his body in the real world had been picking up strange noises. Quiet whimpers that almost made him wake up, yet he didn't. Only one person was in the room with him while he slept,</p><p>Haru: "Beatrice..." he muttered,</p><p>The petite blonde surprisingly treated him with kindness. Minus the part where he got sent flying to the bed, then he'd say Beatrice was like a parent to him even if she looked younger than him. But he shouldn't be thinking about that right now. Knock knock. His eyes shifted towards the door,</p><p>?:"Bakaharu, are you awake?" the voice said,</p><p>Haru: "uhh yeah, j-just a second" he replied</p><p>He got out of the bed and fixed the creases on his clothes to look more presentable. He walked towards the door and prepared to greet the only person who would call him by that name.</p><p>Haru: "good morning, nee-sama. w-what's wrong?" he greets her</p><p>Standing in the corridor with her hands on her waist the pink-haired maid looked at him in pity.</p><p>Ram: "yes, yes good morning. but it seems like you've forgotten already, Bakaharu. You asked Ram to go to you if we ever needed assistance, so here I am." she replied,</p><p>Her sass and her smugness, what a great way to greet their guest during his first morning in the mansion. With a sigh, he pushed his hair back and nodded.</p><p>Haru: "right I did... so what do you n-need help with?" he asked her,</p><p>She quickly turned around and began to walk to the kitchen, urging the young boy to follow her. '<em>I didn't expect her to need help t-that quick...' </em>he thought,</p><p>Ram: "simple, we just need to prepare for breakfast." she replied,</p><p>Haru: "oh, so cooking?"</p><p>Ram: "obviously. but Ram doesn't think you're capable of doing anything, so you'll be our source of entertainment." she says</p><p>Haru: " I know h-how to work in a kitchen... but if that's w-why then why are you still asking me to go then?" he exclaimed</p><p>The two continued their exchange of insults and jokes, followed by a brief discussion on how they run the kitchen. Telling him their meal plan for that morning and how what and what not to do when they start cooking. Until they finally arrived at the kitchen, she handed the young boy an apron.</p><p>As he put it on he greeted the blue-haired maid who already started before them, even if he wasn't greeted back. He appreciated the fact that they followed his order of asking him for help if they needed it.</p><p>He took his spot in the kitchen and picked up a knife, holding it against the potato as he began to slowly peel it.</p><p>Haru: "and- is this good?" he asks them,</p><p>He held up the peeled potato in front of the two, they slowly inspected it and prepared to give out their thoughts. The pink-haired maid spoke up first,</p><p>Ram: "wow, so you weren't lying when you said you knew how to work in a kitchen. Though your form in holding the knife is terrible, you don't seem to be clueless about it. I change my mind about you, perhaps you're not as pathetic as I expected you to be." she says,</p><p>He wasn't as clueless as she expected him to be, mainly because he had worked in a kitchen a lot of times before. He prepared food for picnics whenever they explored or planned to look for a rare material, and he enjoyed cooking food for himself and his squadmates after training. On special days, he even made food with Shuna.</p><p>Then it was Rem's turn,</p><p>Rem: "nee-sama is right, you have some skill in peeling." she says,</p><p>Her voice could be described as monotone, with no hint of energy or life. But her words still felt sincere and he was proud to receive good feedback.</p><p>Haru: "I cooked a lot with a friend, so this isn't s-something I'm not used to." he replied,</p><p>The thought of whoever that friend could be never crossed their mind. Instead, the blue-haired maid took interest in something else. She constantly shifted her eyes from the carrots and other vegetables to his hair.</p><p>Her face looked extremely bothered. Her furrowed brows screamed disgust, even if she didn't comment on it. Her looks said it all, and it was only a short amount of time before someone commented on it.</p><p>Ram: "you're bothered by his hair, am I right Rem?" she says,</p><p>Her eyes averted upon hearing her sister's voice, "nee-sama? yes... it is very unsightly" she replied, They both looked at the boy's hair, there were so many things that could be pointed out.</p><p>Ram: "disgusting Bakaharu, it's uneven. Unrefined, disastrous, monstrous. Absolutely unacceptable."</p><p>Rem: "it's very very unsightly."</p><p>Sugarcoating wasn't a word in Ram's vocabulary. Every possible adjective to describe his hair. Though it was an over-exaggeration, he didn't think it was that bad to use words of that extent.</p><p>Haru: "r-really... I know I didn't do a good job but I didn't think it'd be that bad..." he muttered</p><p>Ram: "whoever told you it looked nice is lying, be thankful that Ram is pointing out your flaws Bakaharu. But don't worry," she added</p><p>Haru: " worry...?" he asked</p><p>Her hand pointed toward her younger sister in a graceful manner, it was obvious how proud she was. "Rem can cut your hair, she's responsible for managing everyone's hair in the mansion. Her hands are like the gates of heaven, think of it as our welcoming gift," she says,</p><p>Rem: "nee-sama..." she muttered,</p><p>Haru: "actually... I've been meaning to get it fixed, would you mind?" he says</p><p>His eyes narrowed and a small smile stretched across his face. He badly wanted a haircut, and he knew he was incapable of fixing his hair himself. So something like this would really make him happy. "as you can see... I can't cut hair at all, and I'd love it if you did." he adds,</p><p>With a small nod, the pink-haired maid says "Very well, Rem. You can fix his unsightly hair to make it less unsightly" she says,</p><p>Rem: "yes nee-sama, Rem will make it so he looks a little more bearable to look at." Her hesitation disappeared as she quickly followed her sister's instructions.</p><p>The trio continued their preparation for the rest of that early morning, as soon as they finished he brought up a topic he had been planning since the night before.</p><p>Haru: "hey nee-sama... I'm going to the village this afternoon, is there anything you need? " he asked,</p><p>Bringing up the question made the maids stop moving. Waiting for her response made him more anxious,</p><p>Rem: "now that you're asking, we are running low on spices and seasonings. So I planned to go shopping for them tomorrow." she says,</p><p>He remembered the same line from the novels, this was his sign that he played this event correctly.</p><p>Haru: " why n-not go today? it's better if we replenish sooner if we're running low, right?" he adds</p><p>Ram: "that shouldn't be a problem, we can have Bakaharu carry all the spices on the way back." she chimed in,</p><p>Rem: "since you put it that way..."</p><p>The two maids looked at each other and nodded. Coming to terms with their ideas as they both looked back at the boy waiting for their response.</p><p>Ram: "very well, Bakaharu. After breakfast come to the lobby and we can go to the village together." she says</p><p>As a small smile appeared on his lips. He nodded and took off his apron, "okay nee-sama, it's a plan then." he says as he washed his hands and left the kitchen.</p><p>He walked back to his room at a rather fast pace, he was more anxious than excited. He already knew how to deal with the problem, but the worry of messing up would never leave. If he messed up by just a little, it could hinder his plan of going home.</p><p>Haru: "it's gonna work, no problem." he mutters,</p><p>?: "Haru? you're up early," the voice says,</p><p>He turned his head and met eyes with the silver-haired girl still in her nightgown. She waved at the boy and he waved back.</p><p>Haru: "good morning, Emilia-sama. did you sleep well?" he asks,</p><p>He slowly made his way over to her to formally greet her good morning, "I should be the one asking that, I slept fine, thank you for asking."</p><p>Haru: "actually the bed was really comfortable, I almost overslept" he giggled,</p><p>Emilia: "soo why didn't you? it looks like you've been up for a while," she asked</p><p>Haru: "oh, I'm more of a morning person. I a-always wake up early no matter how tired I am, sadly."</p><p>A body that adjusted to waking up at the same time every day. As a result of his early morning training with Hakurou, this forced habit slowly became a part of his daily routine. Even if it bothered him, it came with a lot of benefits.</p><p>Emilia: "I see, would you mind accompanying me then?" she asks with a smile,</p><p>Haru: "accompany? where?"</p><p>Emilia: "I have to talk to the lesser spirits every morning and I thought you'd want to see them, " she says</p><p>Haru: "lesser spirits? y-yes! well I mean... I haven't really seen any yet, so I'd love to."</p><p>Seeing him quickly mask his excitement made the girl giggle. He took him by the arm and they both made their way outside. As the two walked through the hallways of the mansion, it occurred to him that the girl's contracted spirit had yet to appear.</p><p>Whether it was his love for animals or the curiosity of what exactly he had to do with the whole Library Sleeping story, he raised a question.</p><p>Haru: "hey Emilia-sama, if I may ask. Where's Puck?" he asks,</p><p>Not even stopping to answer, she gave him a side glance, "he's with Beatrice I think, he said he had something to talk to her about." she replied,</p><p>Puck had disappeared to the Library countless times in the novels, but he had always been with his daughter in the early mornings whenever Natsuki Subaru went to talk to her,</p><p><em>'what's going on...'</em> he thought,</p><p>Haru: "did he tell you at all what t-they were going to talk about?" he asked,</p><p>Emilia: "sorry, I can't really ask about his relationship with Beatrice." she says while stopping in the middle of the corridor,</p><p>He looked at her with his eyes narrowed before nodding his head, "right, I'm sorry." he quickly apologized,</p><p>Emilia: "is there something going on between the three of you?"</p><p>Haru: "not that I know of... I'm clueless."</p><p>
  <em>'I could scan the novel and I'm sure that this sort of thing never happened... it's changing again isn't it?'</em>
</p><p>Emilia: "even Roswaal wasn't in his office this morning, this is soo weird." she says while continuing her walk,</p><p>He quickly caught up to her with his eyebrows raised, "Roswaal-sama isn't here either? h-he might be with Puck and Beatrice-sama for all we k-know." he sighed,</p><p>Emilia: "that's true, but I've never really seen Beatrice and Roswaal talk that much. So that's out of the question," she replied,</p><p>The only time he had ever read about the head of the mansion and the keeper of the library speak with one another was during Natsuki's first morning in the mansion when they both met up for breakfast.</p><p>This was his first morning, then where were they?</p><p>-</p><p>The two arrived at the front of the lawn, where the grass was neatly cut and gazebos were scattered around for some form of shade when it was hot. They both crossed the small bridge that led to a clearing,</p><p>Seeing this as his signal, he took a few steps back and sat on the grass. Preparing himself for the ethereal scene he was about to witness. She put her hands together and glowing orbs began to surround the girl. A pretty sight that could be compared to what happened to him the day before.</p><p>He knew that if he brought the princess to the field of flowers, she would stand out the most. She would be the prettiest of the bunch, and she would be the flower he would adore even from afar.</p><p>As he stared at the blue orbs around her, his eyes softened and a smile rose upon his lips.</p><p>Emilia: "this isn't very fun to watch is it?" she says,</p><p>Haru: "I enjoy pretty things like these, so this i-is really entertaining for me. And I'm pretty sure you can make anything enjoyable, Emilia-sama." he replies,</p><p>With her faced relaxed, it slowly shifted into a smile after hearing his positive outlook on her daily ritual with the spirits. Opinions mattered to her, even if she was reminded time and time again that she should never let other people's opinions stop her.</p><p>He took his words to heart, almost everything that came out of the boy's mouth was uplifting or reassuring.</p><p>Emilia: "I know you're just being polite, but I still feel soo happy." she giggled,</p><p>As her morning ritual came to a close, she took a seat beside the young knight who paid no mind to it. With his arms planted on his knees, covered in a long-sleeved shirt with bandages peeking out. It got the silver-haired girl to suddenly gasp,</p><p>He turned his head and saw her eyes narrow.</p><p>Emilia: "Do you want me to use my healing magic?" she asked as she pointed at the bandages peeking out of his sleeve,</p><p>Quickly raising up his sleeve, he further investigated the bandages around his arms.</p><p>Haru: "it's okay, h-healing it won't make much of a difference since it's already healed." he replied,</p><p>Emilia: "I see, then why do you still cover it up?" she asks,</p><p>He turned and looked at her straight in the eye, grey met purple as the two stared at each other in silence for a few seconds before he sighed.</p><p>Haru: "It's... sort of embarrassing. I don't even know w-where it came from," he says,</p><p>He slowly took off one of the loose bandages wrapped around his arms. Twirling it between his fingertips as his skin began to unravel. A disgusted look crept upon his face as he turned away. Clearly not proud over what was about to show up.</p><p>Emilia: "oh..." she muttered,</p><p>What was she supposed to feel? Shock? Pity? Sadness? or maybe a mix of all three, only a small gasp escaped her lips. Her eyes downcast, her mouth agape with denial. Unintentionally bringing her hand closer to his arm with the intent to heal it.</p><p>But true to his words, even the best healer in the Capital won't be able to make much of a difference. Scars scattered throughout his arm, healed or not it would be there forever.</p><p>Haru: "not even the healing potion could remove the scar so we just... covered it up," he says,</p><p>Her mood still gloomy after looking at the sight, but time and time again she would always be back to her usual self after a good talk.</p><p>Haru: "there's no use being sad over things that c-can no longer be changed, don't w-worry about it okay?"</p><p>Emilia: "mhm, I guess so..."</p><p>He quickly covered his arm back up with the same bandage, keeping his gaze low avoiding eye contact with her. She would be the first person in this world who has seen it, their bond slowly began to form.</p><p>Haru: "Emilia-sama... I h-haven't told anyone else about this. s-so I'd prefer if we keep up between the two of us, okay?" he says,</p><p>With a nod, she agreed to his condition. She knew he trusted her, and she wouldn't want to betray that trust. He was the first person to ever be kind and to treat her like a normal girl, he was aware of what her heritage was but it never bothered him.</p><p>There had to be more to this boy than what he shows, she thought. The scars scattered on his body, the odd eye color, and hair, the skill in combat and magic. He had never seen anyone like him before,</p><p>He never reacted violently to her, except that time she accused him. But even then, he wasn't ill-mannered towards her. Since then, he was all she was thinking about. Why is that?</p><p>-</p><p>As the two chatted more about themselves, they were both called in by the two maids for breakfast. Whether it was the sounds coming from his stomach, or the smile that came from the silver-haired girl asking him to accompany her to the dining room. He nodded and they all made their way to the dining room,</p><p>When he entered the room, he saw one of the chairs had already been occupied. In front of them was a small teacup, and what flew out scared him.</p><p>Puck: "Morning Lia, you look lovely as always." he complimented her,</p><p>Emilia: "Morning Puck," she says with a smile,</p><p>After greeting his daughter, he turned towards the white-haired boy.</p><p>Puck: "hey Haru! good morning, how was your sleep?" he asked, suddenly flying towards the young boy,</p><p>Haru: "Puck-san... i-it was great?" he answered, unsure of how he was exactly supposed to answer the question,</p><p>A smile appearing on the great spirit's face as he flew around the boy. "it was a good idea I convinced Betty to let you sleep in the library then, hihi." he giggled,</p><p>The group's eyes widened and turned towards the petite blonde indulging in her tea,</p><p>Beatrice: "why are you looking at me that way in fact?" she asks in exclaimed, clearly aggravated</p><p>Coughing up the lump in her throat, the pink-haired maid spoke up first. "Bakaharu, are you that childish that you need to have someone like Beatrice-sama to accompany you to sleep? How selfish, I hope you have bad dreams tonight Bakaharu."</p><p>Rem: "perhaps Haru-kun has nightmares."</p><p>Ram: "definitely nightmares." she agreed,</p><p>Her hand closing into a fist as she stood up from her chair, "don't make assumptions maid! Bubby merely asked me to let him stay there I Suppose!" she exclaimed,</p><p>Their heads then turned toward the grey cat who pulled the white-haired boy to the side, their conversation was kept between the two of them. Standing there dumbfounded at the sight of the boy scratching the cat's stomach as they converse.</p><p>Emilia: "they get along well," she giggled,</p><p>As the great spirit's laughter echoed through the dining hall, it suddenly went downhill when the spirit bit on the boy's ear. Causing him to squeal in pain,</p><p>Haru: "P-Puck stop..!" he shouts,</p><p>Taken aback that his simple nibble seemed to cause the boy a lot of pain, he flew backward. With his face apologetic as he started to panic,</p><p>Puck: "it wasn't that hard I swear!" he says, noticing the surprised face of his daughter.</p><p>Instead of her getting mad, she laughed. Causing the two maids to laugh as well at their idiocy, only then did they realize how stupid the two looked.</p><p>Ram: "it seems like Emilia-sama took it well, in fact, you might have discovered a tactic we can use against Bakaharu to mess with him.</p><p>Haru: "please don't..." he begged,</p><hr/><p>Their breakfast was happier than usual, unlike the other days speaking was usually limited. Even starting small chat over subjects other than the Royale Selection was rare. This morning everyone got to bond over little things that were brought up during their meal.</p><p>Even the maids, who were usually standing and watching the residents consume the prepared food. Were indulging in their own creations alongside the others who seemed to enjoy their presence. Suddenly even the loneliest of the bunch was looking forward to their next meal.</p><p>In the eyes of the petite blonde, the strange boy who spoke so proudly of his hometown was a nuisance who, even if she didn't want to admit it, provided her comfort and company.</p><p>For the grey cat spirit, he was someone who shared a lot of the same interests as him. Their personalities mashed and created a friendship that oddly worked.</p><p>The two maids saw him as a younger brother whose eyes have never once seen the cruelty of the world they lived in. Even if it was often dull and almost lifeless, his eye sparkled when he spoke about things he was passionate about.</p><p>For the girl he saved in the Capitol, he was someone who she wanted to get to know more. She knew their time was limited, so she wasn't going to waste a second without him. For someone who she had only met 5 days prior, he was someone she was glad to call her friend.</p><p>Excusing himself early from breakfast was a good call, he had time to dress up and prepare mentally and physically for the upcoming fight against his biggest weakness. Following the orders of the older pink-haired maid, he waited for them at the lobby.</p><p>As the two announced their trip towards the village to the residents, and to their Lord who just arrived. They too made their way to the lobby. Standing there in uniform was the boy who convinced them to go earlier,</p><p>Ram: "I know I've already seen you in uniform, but you look less idiotic in it, Bakaharu."</p><p>Rem: "nee-sama is right, only a little less, very little, extremely little. less as idiotic with your uniform on. Please never take it off."</p><p>Commenting on his attire felt like both an insult and a compliment, but he was grateful for it.</p><p>Haru: "r-right, thank you... I didn't think I looked that annoying without it." he replies,</p><p>The three walked together, out of the Mansion's doors, to the paved road that led to the gate, then following the path that led to the village with the two maids beside him leaving him in the center. "is this format n-necessary at all?" he asks,</p><p>Ram: "not exactly, my lovely sister and I are like two pretty flowers beside you. If we stood together you would be seen as weeds in a field Bakaharu. Be thankful," she replied while hitting his side with her elbow,</p><p>Rem: "right, we bring out the best in you Haru-kun." she adds,</p><p>As he let out a sharp groan he quickly turned the tides saying, "f-from what I know... you leave the p-pretty flowers alone nee-sama."</p><p>Ram: "Pathetic, you're hopeless Bakaharu, no wonder you're single."</p><p>Rem: " I'll be praying for whoever you end up with. you're not romantic at all," she adds,</p><p>The two form an agreement that he was hopeless in terms of relationships. They both speed up in walking and leave him behind, "h-hey!" he exclaims as he tries to catch up to them,</p><p>Haru: "I'm not as hopeless as you think I am in terms of love, actually I have someone back at home." he says,</p><p>Ram: "I don't know who gave you the idea that I cared about your love life Bakaharu... but I'm intrigued."</p><p>The topic poked at her interests. With her blue-haired maid moving closer to hear him speak about the mystery girl, his eyes lit up passionately once more.</p><p>Starting his monologue with his crush's most distinct feature,</p><p>Haru: "w-well, first of all, she has pink hair and she's an oni,"</p><p>A disgusted look crept up on the older sister's face as she ran towards her younger sister. The two holding each other's hands as they stopped in their tracks</p><p>Ram: "nevermind, please never speak about it again." the older sister says,</p><p>Rem: "you have great taste Haru-kun, but Rem pities her. please leave pink-haired maidens alone." she adds,</p><p>Not noticing that he almost described the smug maid, he threw his hands up in a surrendering position. With his cheeks blushing with embarrassment, "n-no you got it w-wrong! i-it's not you!" he exclaimed,</p><p>Ram: " I hope you know that Ram will never find the likes of you attractive or loveable in any way. You're future wife will suffer from embarrassment and regret for the rest of her life," she says, her face still crumpled with disgust,</p><p>Haru: "you're talking as if y-you know how I act towards p-people I love?!" he exclaimed,</p><p>The fiery passion in his eyes disappeared completely as he watched the two maids speed up in their pace towards the village,</p><p>Haru: "I said s-she had pink hair but it doesn't mean I crush on everyone w-who has it!" he shouts,</p><hr/><p>Soon they arrived at the village. He scanned the place visually before spotting his grey-haired friend, Otto, speaking with the villagers.</p><p>Haru: "Otto-san!" he shouts his name</p><p>He turned his head towards the source of the voice as his eyes lit up, "Tempest-san!" he shouts back,</p><p>The two ran towards each other and met up in the center of the village, they both raised their hands and threw them towards each other. Clap! The sound echoed through the village as their hands touched,</p><p>Otto: "Tempest-san why must you go so hard?!" he exclaimed,</p><p>He quickly traced his hand with his finger to ease the pain. As heat and sharp static-like pain appeared on his hand, his eyes widened at the sight of his palm growing red,</p><p>Haru: "it's you who h-has zero pain t-tolerance Otto!" he shouts back after seeing his friend in pain,</p><p>Otto: "y-you should have seen the first time we did it! is holding back your high fives not a thing in your homeland?!" he cried out,</p><p>Haru: "you h-have a point... this is the first time our high five a-actually worked but I was holding back! why would I want to hurt you!? a-and didn't y-you slap me by a-accident when we first tried it?" he replied,</p><p>Their small banter continued, earning them laughs from the villagers around the area who witnessed the scene. Soon joined by an unimpressed maid who glared at the young knight with her former expression of disgust,</p><p>Ram: "Bakaharu, you're a disgrace to the kingdom's fine knights, do you know that?" she says, crossing her arms as if she were correcting a naughty child,</p><p>Snapping out of his small fight, he quickly switched to his formal attitude.</p><p>Haru: "nee-sama... he's m-"</p><p>Ram: " a disgrace too from what I can see." she says,</p><p>Violently reacting was his normal reaction, his mouth stretching wide and his eyes narrowing as if he was about to cry. They grey-haired merchant had already lost the respect of someone important,</p><p>Otto: "how could you say that?! it's Tempest-san who you should be degrading here..." he says,</p><p>His revenge against his friend quickly backfired with an annoyed reply, "please, Ram is already aware of how useless Bakaharu is in some aspects. I only talk based on what I've seen," she says,</p><p>Otto: "so you know how he doesn't know how to ride a ground dragon... right?" he says,</p><p>His mouth agape with surprise at his favorite character's comment. How could he mention such an embarrassing detail that had no relation whatsoever to the matter?</p><p>Haru: "oi, it's not that I-I can't ride one..." he mutters</p><p>Ram: "I can't believe you can't even go to other lands without the assistance from someone else, "</p><p>Rem: "indeed, Haru-kun should at least be capable of riding one if he wishes to get to other places." she adds,</p><p>That fact never crossed his mind, he had access to the fastest means of transportation that was considered rare in this new world. And he had the connection to someone who could drive him anywhere he wanted.</p><p>Haru: "r-right..." he stutters</p><p><em>'should I get a g-ground dragon then...?' </em>he thought,</p><hr/><p>They went their separate ways, the maids to attend to their job of replenishing the spices. Keeping a close eye on the young knight was still something they had to balance,</p><p>For him, he was keeping a close eye on the kids who were deeply involved in the second event of the novel. The Curses inflicted by the Demon Beast Wolgarms that resided in the forest, its caster would disguise themselves as one of the kids and disappear the next day, never to be seen again.</p><p>So when he got pinched in the back, he knew it was her.</p><p>Haru: "yeah? what is it?" he asks the girl,</p><p>?: "o-over there..." she replies,</p><p>Her finger pointing towards the direction of the forest. Which only affirmed his beliefs more,</p><p><em>'ah... this is it. She's the one,"</em> he thought,</p><p>With the other kids following in pursuit, they all made their way towards the direction of the forest. Stumbling across a small puppy on the other side of the fence that marked the end of the village's territory.</p><p>A small bald spot on the top of her head, the small puppy barked at the incoming group.</p><p>Haru: "what a cute puppy...!"</p><p>He didn't let the fact that this puppy could transform into a one-meter sized demon dog, he couldn't deny that it was adorable.</p><p>Through the long overthinking for the past three days, sacrifice would no doubt be a part of his journey. In this case, he risked his body to pass out from magicule exhaustion inflicted from a curse.</p><p>His own stupidity pained him, but killing the puppy in front of the kids would anger the maids who kept close tabs on him. This was an inescapable step,</p><p>Haru: "o-ow!" he exclaimed</p><p>Immediately he stopped the bleeding by casting Sticky Steel Thread to surround the infected wound. The curse would soon start to take effect, but the blood loss would be another issue.</p><p>Petra: "aw... She's usually nice too," she comments,</p><p>Cain: "exactly, what'd you do to her Haru?" the boy asks,</p><p>They were shocked at the violent reaction of the puppy, the only reason they could think of this happening was because he wasn't good with animals. Not that they had any experience seeing him interact with furry pets in the first place, it was their most reasonable explanation.</p><p>Haru: "I just wanted to... pet her," he mutters, sad over the fact he'd have to kill it soon.</p><p>It may seem depressing at first, but things were going as planned. He'd visit the petite librarian and ask her for a favor, he'd race back here and deal with the issue. Simple, nothing in the plan was impossible to pull off.</p><p>?: "you should be more careful around small puppies, Ru-san."</p><p>Suddenly, a deep voice chimed in. Unrecognizable, he couldn't put a finger on who he was,</p><p>?: "that is your name right? Haru?" he spoke once more,</p><p>Slowly turning his head, he looked up at the unrecognizable figure who towered above him. Covered in long black fur with narrowed eyes, biting on a golden kiseru with his sharp animal-like teeth.</p><p>Who was he? Who in the world was he? <em>think, think, think! who in the world is he...!</em></p><p>The wolf-human wore a long black coat with purple accents, he had a welcoming and calm aura that made the kids around him cling on to him in joy,</p><p>Dine: "say say! can you do that trick again?" he giggled,</p><p>Jumping up and down in front of the mysterious wolf-human in excitement, "just once more, okay?" he replied,</p><p>Pulling out a sharp kunai from his side, he tossed it in the air. Flying high into the sky before it fell towards him.</p><p>Lucas: "he's doing it!" he shouted,</p><p>In one swift move, the wolf-human bent down and picked up a small rock, barely the size of a fingernail. Throwing it in the same direction as the falling kunai. At high speeds he reached out his arm and jumped up, grabbing the kunai by its handle before slicing in mid-air.</p><p>His 'trick' was hardly seen, it was a blur. He moved at such high speeds they swore he had just thrown the kunai just seconds ago. But there it was in his hand. On his other hand were the remains of the small pebble, they didn't know such a small rock could get any smaller but their expectations were broken.</p><p>It was cleanly cut into tiny pieces, the same amount as the number of times he slashed his kunai in the air. It all happened so fast the young knight barely had the time to get to analyze what was happening.</p><p>Haru: "wh..at.." he muttered,</p><p>He stared at the man in front of him, his eyes wide open at the sight of a new character appearing. He was afraid, he felt like all his plans were going down the drain. All because of one man who moved at such speeds he split a small pebbled into equal parts with such technique he could only wish of acquiring.</p><p>But what scared him the most was the man's power. He could feel his presence and his overwhelming skill even without using <strong>Omnipotent One</strong> to see it. Normally, he would be able to see through skills and magic and learn how to harness that power as his own.</p><p>But this man didn't need such skill to understand that he was far too powerful even for him to deal at his full potential.</p><p>The story diverged once more as another problem appeared.</p><p>
  <strong>TO BE CONTINUED</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Next Chapter: A Future With You</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. A Future With You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After following the loop as in canon, he was accused of being the cause of all her suffering. Their fight caused them to find common ground as they both swore to communicate more with each other. Promises were made and resolves were strengthened.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sorry this took so long everyone :( i had writers block, but I hope you enjoy this. The next chapters will come out in a while,</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p></p><div>
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    <p> </p>
    <p></p>
    <div class="story-editor medium-editor-element">
      <p>
        <b>Arc 2: Curses and Blessings</b>
      </p>
      <p>The future will always be a mystery, but when you know that certain events are about to happen then it wouldn't be as scary.</p>
      <p>If the future changes from what you knew, you'd panic. This was exactly what happened to him, he never expected someone like him to show up. He never read about anyone like him who made his appearance, not even the novel's protagonist knew who he was from what he read so far.</p>
      <p>???: "my name's Halibel, you've been the talk of the village ever since I arrived this morning, Ru-san. it would be nice to talk to you," the Wolf-Human says with a bright smile,</p>
      <p>Extending his arm to pat the knight on the shoulder, the Wolf-Human towered over him. He was taller than anyone he had ever met,</p>
      <p>Haru: "Halibel... w-what a nice name," he replies, giving an awkward giggle to not make their interaction as awkward.</p>
      <p>The two maintained eye contact, exchanging a smile before the Wolf-Human lowered his head to meet the young knight face to face. "Ru-san you're turning pale, do you feel ill?" he asks,</p>
      <p>The kids shifted their attention from the puppy to the sickly knight,</p>
      <p>Lucas: "what's wrong Haru? you're looking anemic," he points out,</p>
      <p>Haru: "am I...?" he muttered</p>
      <p>His eyes still focused on the Wolf-Human in front of him, he slowly dropped to the floor. Bringing his arm to his hair, still trying to analyze just what was happening. A wave of nausea hit him like a truck,</p>
      <p>Halibel: "hey, you okay? do you need help standing up?" he asks, kneeling down beside the young knight in worry,</p>
      <p>Haru: "Halibel... y-yeah I am," he quickly reassured,</p>
      <p>The worry in their eyes haven't left, they knew he was lying. But it felt natural to believe him. Just when the Wolf-Human was about to speak, the young knight raised a question.</p>
      <p>Haru: "h-hey Halibel... you said you just a-arrived, right? y-you made it seem like y-you're leaving too... are you?" he asks him,</p>
      <p>Freezing in place, the Wolf-Human shook his head. </p>
      <p>Halibel: "you really know you're words Ru-san, you're a good listener. I was about to leave in a few minutes, why do you ask?" he replied,</p>
      <p>The Wolf-Human says, curiosity filling his eyes. He seemed like a good man, but things weren't adding up.</p>
      <p>Haru: "n-no reason," he muttered,</p>
      <p>His eyes shift towards the houses behind the Wolf-Human, approaching them were the two maids. Carrying two large barrels, one more than what they bought in Canon. He quickly stood up, surprising the kids and the Wolf-Human. Dusting off his uniform clean as he turns to speak before leaving for the Mansion.</p>
      <p>Haru: "it was nice meeting you, Halibel-san. I look f-forward to seeing you soon, it looks like my companions are ready," he says </p>
      <p>The Wolf-Human smiles and stands up, "ah, it was nice meeting you as well, Ru-san. I'll see you soon," he replied,</p>
      <p>The two exchanged smiles as the knight approached the kids, "don't go beyond the f-fence, if something happens I'll come, okay?" he tells them.</p>
      <p>In confusion, the kids nodded. The young knight then left, waving his hand in the air to greet them goodbye as he met up with the maids.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>The day came to an end, his training with Hakurou was over and he finally had time to do whatever he wanted. So, he spent the afternoon atop the hill that overlooked the kingdom. The relaxing scenery made it an even better place to read a book.</p>
      <p>Haru: "man it's getting so good," he says, waving up the book in his hands to show his excitement and enthusiasm.</p>
      <p>He had been reading this book for at least a week. And he'd already reached what he stated was "the most confusing part of the whole novel series" Natsuki Subaru had his big redemption and he managed to save the people in the Mansion, and he even got to confess his love for the girl he admired.</p>
      <p>They soon returned to the mansion where he had died time and time again. But the remaining residents have not yet returned. The only person there was a blonde maid who gave them directions on what to do next.</p>
      <p>Then, they all met at a place called the sanctuary, home to the Witch of Greed Echidna whose soul is forever trapped in the place called the Tomb. Her body still remained thereafter four-hundred years.</p>
      <p>The protagonist then met the said Witch, had his memories of the tea party erased, and was left trying to figure out what to do next. Later that night, the silver-haired princess was asked to take on a trial, only for it to fail as the lights that surrounded the Tomb disappeared one by one.</p>
      <p>Natsuki's involuntary action was to run to her, only for him to trigger a trial himself. Before passing out on the cold floor,</p>
      <p>Haru: "e-eh? where's the rest of the pages..?" he says in a panicked voice,</p>
      <p>He quickly flipped the pages, scanning each one to make sure he didn't miss any. Sadly enough, he didn't. The following pages were blank right to the opposite cover.</p>
      <p>Haru: "h-hey... no way... is that it?!" he shouted</p>
      <p>He stood up from the grass and scanned the book again, only for him to stop at the same page he was just reading.</p>
      <p>
        <em>'Volume ten, The Long-Awaited Reunion.'</em>
      </p>
      <p>Haru: "He just entered the tomb, what happened? is this the last c-chapter...?" he muttered, with sweat dripping down his forehead</p>
      <p>The cliffhanger was too much for him to handle. He's way too invested in the story and moving on with his life with the lingering thought that Natsuki Subaru was just there on the cold floor with no provided reason at all would drive him mad. </p>
      <p>Haru: "crap..."</p>
      <p>Using <b>Spatial Travel</b>, he sank into the ground and disappeared. Reappearing once more in front of the main building of the kingdom, where most of the meetings are held. Luckily, there was nothing important to discuss as of right now so the building was quite empty.</p>
      <p>But he searched for him anyway, the only person capable of telling him what happened next.</p>
      <p>Haru: "hey! Benimuru-san! where. is. Rimuru-sama?!" he exclaimed while panting,</p>
      <p>Startled by the sudden arrival of the young goblin, he quickly pointed towards the window. "you wouldn't want to go there now Haru... Shion is..." he muttered,</p>
      <p>Just mentioning the two together in a separate building already spelled out what exactly was happening. It was something everyone in the Kingdom internally feared, but in her presence, showing their thoughts about it would get them killed.</p>
      <p>As fear and anxiety rose up on both the young goblin and Benimaru's face, he slowly backed up from the room,</p>
      <p>Haru: "I get w-what you mean... thank you Benimaru-san," he says</p>
      <p>Benimaru: "yeah... good luck." he says with a pitying expression,</p>
      <p>The young goblin nodded his head and ran out of the building, with the lingering fear that <em>if it </em>were there, he'd run away as soon as possible.</p>
      <p>-</p>
      <p>Rimuru: "you came at the right time, Haru!" he says with an enthusiastic manner, with his hands planted on the table as he stood up from his chair,</p>
      <p>Under the door frame with a less excited look on his face, the worst thing possible was right in front of him.</p>
      <p>Shion: "oh? you're here too, did the smell of my cooking bring you all the way here?" she asked,</p>
      <p>A tall woman with a gorgeous body, with a narrow horn protruding from her forehead. A bright smile on her face, in her hands, was a pot of her own cooking. Emitting a purple radiant color was anything other than inviting.</p>
      <p>Haru: "o-oh... R-Rimuru-sama looks busy... I'll take my leave then, see ya!" he uttered, wanting to get away as soon as possible.</p>
      <p>Shion: "are you sure? you haven't been present during dinner time these past few days, wouldn't you want a bite?"</p>
      <p>Stopping in his tracks, he raised his shoulders, "y-you see, I p-promised Shuna I'd h-help her with th-"</p>
      <p>Rimuru: "no Haru! S-Shuna already finished w-with the robes... stay," he interrupts, with a hint of fear spread across the master's face.</p>
      <p>As the two maintain eye contact an internalized conversation began through their telepathic connection.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Rimuru-sama... don't give me that look... please tell me I don't have to eat that crap too...</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Benimaru left me here to go elsewhere... we have no choice but to eat!</em>
      </p>
      <p>Sweat dripped from both of their foreheads as their conversation became more aggressive,</p>
      <p>
        <em>tsk... what exactly does that have to do with me, old man?!</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>how dare you bring up my age at a time like this Haru?!</em>
      </p>
      <p>Be it the pressure of having an argument with the king of monsters, or the soft plead of his eyes as they maintain eye contact. He sighed and gave in, With a proud expression the kingdom's ruler felt more at ease,</p>
      <p>Haru: "s-scratch that... I'm hungry, Shion-san. c-could I have a bite?" he says,</p>
      <p>Her eyes lit up in joy after hearing the young goblin's words, "of course! you and Rimuru-sama can be the judge of my cooking this evening! I've always wanted you to have a bite Haru," she exclaims as she puts her hands together,</p>
      <p>Haru: "anything to make y-you happy I guess..." he adds with a smile,</p>
      <p>As the consecutive left for the kitchen, he quickly turned his head and brought out the Novel he had been meaning to ask his master about, "Rimuru-sama... this book" he mutters</p>
      <p>Rimuru: "oh? did you read it? it's pretty neat right?" he asks,</p>
      <p>Haru: "neat isn't enough, it's addicting! y-you owe me, right...Rimuru-sama?" he says</p>
      <p>Raising his eyebrow at the young goblin's words, he began to giggle. "fine, let's hear it." he replies while crossing his arms,</p>
      <p>Haru: "can I erm... h-have the other book? the one after this? i-it sort of ended on a c-cliffhanger you see..." he asked him, his eyes shining passionately with a small smile on his lips. He couldn't wait to start the next chapter,</p>
      <p>Rimuru: "oh, that's the latest volume I read." he says with a bright smile,</p>
      <p>No words could express what the young goblin felt at this moment, was it Shock? Sadness? Confusion? His eyes grew wider, his smile grew bigger. He showed the opposite reaction to how one was supposed to act,</p>
      <p>Haru: "p-pardon?" he asked once more, maybe he didn't hear him right.</p>
      <p>Rimuru: "that's the last book I can make..." he replied, raising his arm up to comb his hair to ease the awkward tension.</p>
      <p>The master didn't have a hint of sarcasm in his words, he said it with such bright smiles it looked as if he were proud that he didn't read the next volume. But at the same time he looked like a kid who had forgotten their assignment in school, his reaction was out of pure embarrassment.</p>
      <p>Haru: "h-how about a side story?" he pressed,</p>
      <p>Rimuru: "d-didn't read those either..."</p>
      <p>Haru: "manga?" he asked, his hair flying in all different directions from stress. </p>
      <p>Rimuru: "there were so many to pick from at the store at that time... I passed it,"</p>
      <p>His head drops down, hitting the table as a loud bang resonated from the room. As if all the strength left his body as if he had lost the will to continue simply because of a book.</p>
      <p>The smile remained on his lips as he desperately tried to process what he just heard. That was the last book he read? Impossible. The amount of manga and novels his master was able to copy was enough to make a book shop, but did he have to die before reaching the next chapter of the volume? Much more the next volume to the series?</p>
      <p><em>'why did you have to die that early Rimuru-sama?!' </em>he thought,</p>
      <p>He was distressed enough that his gentle aura radiated a mix between the color purple and blue. The room's atmosphere became dark and depressing that his master began to pity his own subordinate,</p>
      <p>Rimuru: "sorry about that... Haru, t-that's... my bad..." he says,</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Haru: "tired... I'm tired nee-sama," he mutters,</p>
      <p>The trio finished their business at the village, and it was time to finally go home. But buying the necessary spices weren't the only thing they bought, they included some other ingredients for some desserts the Grey-haired merchant talked about earlier,</p>
      <p>Ram: "stop your whining Bakaharu, it's already depressing enough that you got bit by a small puppy and nearly passed out over it. You're getting more and more pitiful each day," she comments,</p>
      <p>Rem: "it's really unfortunate for the puppy to be biting on boy's like you, Haru-kun. Rem isn't particularly sure you taste good," she adds</p>
      <p>Seeing a young knight on his knees with his hand bleeding was a shocking sight, his eyes were narrowed and his complexion was worrying. But he quickly stood up at the sight of the maid's coming to his direction, dusting off his pants as if nothing happened.</p>
      <p>Haru: "t-that was an unnecessary c-comment.... " he sighed,</p>
      <p>Taking his mind off of the drowsy feeling taking over him, he thought back to the novels. He was upset and anxious over the fact that things have been changing from the story, the fear of messing up was eating him up inside.</p>
      <p>The exhaustion hit him little by little, the curse was starting to take effect. He felt his magicules get drained with every second passing. His body was getting weaker with each step he took,</p>
      <p>Haru: "augh, we did it..." he sighed,</p>
      <p>Finally dropping the two large barrels of ingredients on the floor of the lobby, he dropped to his knees. Panting heavily trying to catch a breath, his complexion paler than usual.</p>
      <p>Ram: "yes, yes. well done," she applauded,</p>
      <p>Rem: "yes, yes. good work," she adds,</p>
      <p>Giving the two maids a thumbs-up, there was never a conversation that didn't involve an exchange of insults. She quickly commented on his appearance,</p>
      <p>Ram: "Bakaharu, you look like you're about to burst a blood vessel, actually... scratch that, it seems like all the blood has left your body. are you perhaps, anemic? that's tragic, you could have bled out by the simple dog bite. " she says,</p>
      <p>Lifting his head up, he looked at the loving sister he wished he never had. "that's m-mean..." he mutters,</p>
      <p>Rem: "it was disappointing that you got so exhausted lifting two light barrels Haru-kun,"</p>
      <p>Haru: "this isn't particularly my fault..." he says,</p>
      <p><em>'damn it... they better be thanking me when this ends.' </em>he thought,</p>
      <p>At the cost of a small sacrifice, he was ensuring a future for the two. It would only make sense they thank him,</p>
      <p>"well, well~ I see~ that the three of you are here, that will save me some time."</p>
      <p>Their heads turned towards the source of the voice, his formal clothing and top hat brought a bright smile to the young knight. '<em>so it didn't go off-trail? it's following the loop!' </em>he thought.</p>
      <p>Haru: "Roswaal-sama," he quickly got up and greeted the mage with a bow, with the two maids following his lead.</p>
      <p>Ram: "you're going out?" she asked,</p>
      <p>Roswaal: "Ram is correct, I'm going out. I received a message that was a tad bit troublesome. So I'm off to make the rounds outside. I do not expect to be home tonight. Ram, Rem, please take care of things in my absence." he replies, closing the distance between the three.</p>
      <p>Affirming their master's words, they nodded in unison.</p>
      <p>Ram: "yes, sir. As you command."</p>
      <p>Rem: "yes, sir. Even if it costs us our lives," they replied.</p>
      <p>Giving the trio a smile before walking past them towards the door, stopping right beside the young knight as he put his hand on his shoulder,</p>
      <p>Roswaal: "I'll be counting on you too~ Haru-kun, take good care of everyone." he says,</p>
      <p>Haru: " it's part of my duty, Roswaal-sama. I won't l-let you down," he replies,</p>
      <p>Roswaal: "ah, then look after things while I'm away." he adds,</p>
      <p>Tipping his hat to cover his face as he began to levitate, his feet lifting off the ground. With a burst of magic, he flies out of sight.</p>
      <p><em>'that's handy' </em>he thought</p>
      <p>As they watched the mage disappear from their sight, the three went their separate ways.</p>
      <p>Haru: "do you need me to carry t-these to the k-kitchen?" he asked them,</p>
      <p>With a hint of disappointment on her face, she shook her head. "no need for such acts Bakaharu, you look exhausted enough and Ram doesn't want to clean you up if ever you get too hurt." she argues,</p>
      <p>With her twin sister carrying the two barrels, they both made their way toward the kitchen. Leaving the knight behind.</p>
      <p>Rem: "please take a nap or something, Haru-kun. your complexion is worrying,"</p>
      <p>Haru: "got it... thanks I guess," he mutters,</p>
      <p>With the maids gone, all he had to do was follow the rest of the loop in order. But with the curse still on him, it would be difficult to get anything done.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Beatrice: "how did you get in here again, I suppose," she says,</p>
      <p>Haru: "it's getting e-easier to get i...n here, you know?"</p>
      <p>Finding the door to the library was never an issue, but with the lingering curse spreading throughout his body even a simple skill like <b>Shadow Step </b>took a lot out of his magicules.</p>
      <p>Haru: "could you... help me?" he asks,</p>
      <p>Her eyes not even lifting off her book from their previous talk, her eyes jolted up with her eyebrows furrowed.</p>
      <p>Beatrice: "you're barging in here and asking for favors, in fact! I will not help you I su-"</p>
      <p>Haru: "curse. could you g-get this curse... off me?"</p>
      <p>Her eyes widening at the request, it wasn't every day someone would barge in asking to lift a curse. but he wasn't just <em>someone, </em>she firmly believed he was the one. All the signs were pointing towards him.</p>
      <p>but if he were the one, she would never be taken out of her suffering. Her days will repeat in a constant loop, she will continue to live on. Stuck on the thought of what could have happened.</p>
      <p>Shaking off this depressing thought, she raised a question.</p>
      <p>Beatrice: "... what happened I suppose," </p>
      <p>She got out of her chair and walked towards the knight on his knees, putting her hand on his forehead as he gave a short explanation.</p>
      <p>Haru: "some dog... b-bit me in the village, why?"</p>
      <p>Beatrice: "is it wrong to ask what happened? you ungrateful boy, I suppose. You should be happy that Betty is sparing her time to save you for no apparent reason," she replies,</p>
      <p>Haru: "i-it's not that I wasn't grateful... I knew you were the only person capable of doing this..."</p>
      <p>Pulling her hand back, she stared at him with a shocked expression. Quickly, she shook it off and continued, "what brought you to think of that I suppose..."</p>
      <p>Beatrice: "I'll destroy the spell used on the curse now, I suppose. The spell is burned into you on the spot the shaman touched, so that's our reference."</p>
      <p>Her hand on his forehead as it began to glow. Her focused and determined expression shocked him, he didn't think she would be this serious. <em>'ah... looks like this didn't change,'</em> he thought As the black mist that marked the curse came out of his hand, she quickly closes her fist as the curse evaporated into nothing.</p>
      <p>Beatrice: "I suppose that's quite abhorrent. All done. I suppose you'll be fine now." she says while shaking her hand to get rid of the stinging remnants of the curse,</p>
      <p>With a relieved sigh, he stood up from the floor. Spreading his fingers as the Strings that wrapped around his hand disappeared.</p>
      <p>Haru: "thank you, Beatrice. I'll come by again right after I deal with this," he says. Giving the petite blonde a small bow, he prepared to leave the library.</p>
      <p>"don't go... I suppose. you have no reason to go back there,"</p>
      <p>The quiet mutter was enough to make him stop in his tracks. His head turned toward the door became downcast. "I have things to do, Beatrice-san. things that absolutely need to be done," he says.</p>
      <p>Beatrice: "is it really worth it, in fact? you have no relation to that puppy, much less whoever owns it I suppose. I suggest you mind your own business."</p>
      <p>Haru: "that's one thing I can't allow, my conscience will eat me up if I let things like that happen in front of me. and things won't work out if I don't do this," he says,</p>
      <p>Turning his back to face the petite blonde, his desperation was getting more intense.</p>
      <p>Beatrice: "are you stupid, in fact?" she exclaimed,</p>
      <p>Haru: "not exactly, I'm just selfish, Beatrice-san. believe it or not. this could change everything I'm planning for the future. So I'm not messing it up,"</p>
      <p>Beatrice: " you're not selfish, you're just an imbecile I suppose. you're saying a shaman puppy could very well change your entire life?"</p>
      <p>Haru: "it's not j-just mine, Beatrice. I'm not t-taking that risk, everything is on the line."</p>
      <p>The two maintained eye contact, the atmosphere in the room became tense. The blonde had no choice but to give in, "fine... in fact, but I won't be doing any more favors I suppose,"</p>
      <p>Winning the argument brought a smile to his lips,</p>
      <p>Haru: "would you mind helping the villagers who could have gotten cursed too? " he adds casually,</p>
      <p>Beatrice: "d-did you hear what I s-said I suppose?!" she exclaimed,</p>
      <p>Without giving her a chance to even accept or decline his favor, he rushed out of the room. "sorry! but I'm counting on you, Beatrice!" he shouts.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p><br/>Her eyebrows furrowed, her face filled with doubt and confusion. She crossed her arms and asked one more time,</p>
      <p>Ram: "why are you going to the village, Bakaharu." the tone of her voice was enough to startle anyone.</p>
      <p>Haru: "that dog that bit me was a shaman that placed a curse, I'll deal with it and the trouble will be solved." he re-affirmed,</p>
      <p>There was a nasty glare in his eyes, they knew it wasn't a matter to be joked around with. His face was no longer relaxed, what replaced it was a shallow and empty expression that shocked them both.</p>
      <p>Haru: "Roswaal-sama asked me to take care of everyone, this is my job nee-sama."</p>
      <p>Her eyes narrowing, the blue-haired maid spoke up. "you're acting on your own selfish desires Haru-kun. If Roswaal-sama asked you to take care of everyone, do you not include Emilia-sama in those you are supposed to protect?" she says,</p>
      <p>Taking a small step forward he lowered his face, They were wasting too much time. </p>
      <p>Haru: "you're doubting me, Rem. what I'm doing is ensuring a future where everyone survives. what part of that is selfish? don't you trust me?" he says</p>
      <p>The three exchanged looks, with the two maids staring deeply into his eyes. With no choice but to comply, she sighed.</p>
      <p>Ram: "very well Haru I will allow you to act on your judgment." she says,</p>
      <p>Rem: "Nee-sama?" her face shifting into disbelief, was she really hearing this?</p>
      <p>To add on to her built up confusion and anger, she was asked to accompany him. Why should she? She had no reason to help him, he was acting on his own and was potentially endangering the residents of the mansion. He was more than capable to be doing it on his own,</p>
      <p>She wanted to get as far away from him as possible, she didn't want anything to do with someone who caused so much misery in her sister's life. So why was she supposed to help him?</p>
      <p>Haru: "I'll protect her nee-sama, I promise." he assures her,</p>
      <p>Her elder sister looked at her straight in the eye, her decision was absolute and there was no talking out of it.</p>
      <p>Ram: "Rem, that's my decision, so please go. I'll confirm the situation with Beatrice-sama and I'll protect Emilia-sama. I'll leave him to you" she says, grabbing both of her hands and pulling it close.</p>
      <p>Rem: "nee-sama, you shouldn't..." she muttered</p>
      <p>Was she hearing that right? She had to work with him? putting up a welcoming facade in front of him was hard enough, but they had to work together? She's kidding...</p>
      <p>Emilia: "Haru? are you going somewhere? I heard a commotion, so I came down to see what was going on. what's happening?"</p>
      <p>The princess asked, her purple nightgown flowing as she walked down the stairs. Holding her gown by the tips as she carefully walked down each step with her eyes maintained on the trio in front of her,</p>
      <p>Her expression was filled with worry, for them to be talking about something without any privacy must mean a serious incident has happened. Her instinct told her to turn to the knight for answers,</p>
      <p>Haru: "Emilia-sama, it's nothing you should worry about. just a simple incident by the village that we need to check out," he replied</p>
      <p>His expression shifted into one of reassurance that even the maids believed that it truly was no big deal.</p>
      <p>Emilia: "you're looking at me like that again... you're going to do something dangerous aren't you?" she sighed</p>
      <p>Haru: "I'm not denying it's going to be dangerous... but we'll make it back, I said I'd protect you if trouble comes and you still have to show me around the country, let's stick to our promise, Emilia." he says</p>
      <p>Remembering the promise they made to each other the other day, she sighed. with her lips forming into a smile, she spoke up once more.</p>
      <p>Emilia: "you know promises are important for Spiritual Arts Users... but I guess it's useless for me to try and stop you right?"</p>
      <p>Haru: "it's sort of for you in a way, so probably not." he giggled,</p>
      <p>The two exchanged looks, he truly was a strange boy.</p>
      <p>Emilia: "fine, fine. I won't stop you, but in return, you have to come back safe okay?" she asks him,</p>
      <p>Haru: "t-that's quite a favor to ask considering w-what were about to do..." he uttered,</p>
      <p>Hearing his response, she could only pray for his return. Taking it literally as she lifted her hand, putting it to his chest. Her light touch was enough for him to understand what exactly she was doing.</p>
      <p>Emilia: "I pray that the spirits will always be with you." </p>
      <p>Her eyes opening once more to meet his, he looked at peace.</p>
      <p>Haru: "a send-off," he muttered,</p>
      <p>Emilia: "mhm, it's a blessing when sending someone off. come back safely okay?" she says, Her gentle expression almost captivated him. </p>
      <p>Haru: "as you wish Emilia, we'll be back soon." he replied.</p>
      <p>The group followed the two outside as they prepared to greet them goodbye, with the margrave out of the household they all had to make a choice without him. </p>
      <p>Rem: "we'll be off now," the maid bowed. Still aggravated over the task forced on her,</p>
      <p>"be careful" the princess and the elder sister replied. Staying close together as they watched the two-run towards the village, disappearing from sight. Before taking refuge once more in the mansion, to wait for their return.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>The two sprinted towards the village, their pace almost equal to each other. They were covering the distance in no time but it was still quite a while until they would reach the location. so he suggested a plan,</p>
      <p>Haru: "Rem it's going to take a while at this rate, grab my hand," he says,</p>
      <p>Her eyes maintaining a disgusted expression, she pulled back both of her hands. "Haru-kun this is not the time to be flirting," she angrily said,</p>
      <p>Haru: "you idiot I wasn't trying to! just do it will you?" he says, raising his voice which urged her to take his hand,</p>
      <p>Confused by what exactly was supposed to happen, her eyes remained focus on the young knight who stared forward. His eyes narrowed as he took a deep breath,</p>
      <p>
        <b> Extra Skill: Spatial Travel</b>
      </p>
      <p>Her eyes widened at the change of scenery, the two sank into the ground as darkness filled her vision. Her first reaction was to run, but when they suddenly appeared in the village her own body stiffened from shock. </p>
      <p>The dark village was illuminated by the lit-up torches that scattered the area with none of the villagers' insight. All the houses' doors were opened yet none of the residents were insight.</p>
      <p>Rem: "how... how are we here?" she asked him, her eyes reflecting a genuine thirst for knowledge. Still unable to process what happened,</p>
      <p>Haru: "are you okay? sorry if that scared you." he dodged the question</p>
      <p>That wasn't what she wanted to hear, as she opened her mouth to speak once more. A repeating sound of footsteps came from behind them.</p>
      <p>Villager: "Haru-sama? Rem-sama? thank God you're here!" He called for help,</p>
      <p>His panting and the sweat the ran down his forehead were more than enough proof for her that something was going on. Right behind him was the familiar grey-haired merchant who had a worried expression on his face,</p>
      <p>Rem: "what's happening?" she asked him,</p>
      <p>Trying to catch a breath, he coughed out the current situation.</p>
      <p>Otto: "Tempest-san... Rem-san, it's terrible!" he exclaimed</p>
      <p>Villager: "s-several of the children have gone missing.  a-all the adults are looking for them now but a-a lot of them haven't r-returned!" he cried out,</p>
      <p>The duo's eyes widening at the plead,</p>
      <p>Haru: "the adults too...?" he asked the man,</p>
      <p>The situation was suspicious, that one phrase made her wariness and distrust of him only accumulate more. Her facade was just about to reach its limit, </p>
      <p>But she pushed aside her personal anger and followed the trio towards the fence that separated the forest from the village territory,</p>
      <p>Haru: "they're in there I'm guessing, how many adults have gone in?" he asked,</p>
      <p>Villager: "a-about nine... w-what should we do?" he worried,</p>
      <p>Can two people deal with this on their own? he thought the situation seemed hopeless. He watched as the knight took a few steps forward, with his hand on the fence, he looked around at the green crystals attached to the trees. A line of defense that protected the villagers from Beast attacks,</p>
      <p>His eyes landing on two certain crystals drained of their original color, displaying a pale blue almost transparent crystal that barely had any light. Her eyes landing on the same crystal, she pointed this out.</p>
      <p>Rem: "the barrier is broken..." she says,</p>
      <p>Letting out a gasp, the two took a step back"b-broken... i-is that what took them?" he muttered,</p>
      <p>Otto: "Rem-san... what happens if it's broken...?" he asked her,</p>
      <p>Rem: "the forest is the Demon Beasts' breeding ground... if the barrier is broken then they could freely cross over" she replied,</p>
      <p>Scanning the area, his eyes landed on a set of footprints that led deeper into the forest. From small to large, it all went in one direction.</p>
      <p>Haru: "Otto.. you know that Wolf-human... Halibel is he still here?" he asked him</p>
      <p>Shaking his head, he pointed towards a house. "n-no he left earlier this evening... but he stayed in that inn over there," he muttered,</p>
      <p>He nodded his head, taking in the information he just gained. "right... call over the villagers who're still here and follow us in. we'll clear the demon beasts along the way," he ordered them,</p>
      <p>Villager: "eh?! you're kidding! I know you're strong Haru-sama but for you two to handle this alone is crazy!" he exclaimed</p>
      <p>Otto: "it's fine, Tempest-san can do this." he answers back,</p>
      <p>The merchant exchanged smiles with the knight who was pleased with the blossoming friendship and trust the two were building.</p>
      <p>Haru: "you know I wouldn't put you in danger, just trust me." he says</p>
      <p> The blue-haired maid decided to keep quiet during this, "he's lying.." she thought, still skeptical about his intentions,</p>
      <p>Haru: "I'll send you back to the mansion with the villagers once we find them, got it?" he answered back, </p>
      <p>The two nodded their heads and sprung into action, "don't die then, Tempest-san." he says as he leaves for the center of the village.</p>
      <p>For him to be deciding everything on his own, he must be some selfish mad man.</p>
      <p>Rem: "wait Haru-kun, how sure are you this isn't a set this up to divert our attention from the mansion..." she asks him,</p>
      <p>He quickly jumped over the fence, taking out his sword as he turned back to the girl. "I'd know right away if something ever happens in the mansion, but you're still doubting me, I'm willing to teleport you back... but if this all goes down the drain, then I die. don't concern yourself any longer with what I want to do." </p>
      <p>he says in a blank tone, His brows furrowed as he took on a more serious expression. But she was shocked, "This has nothing to do with me to begin with. But you have no concern over your own life... you're being reckless, " she muttered</p>
      <p>Haru: "I'm ensuring a future where everyone is safe... this is all I want." he replied.</p>
      <p>The atmosphere between the two became tense, he was sure another battle was about to break out if he didn't turn her attention from him to the actual danger immediately.</p>
      <p>Rem: "you... my orders were to keep an eye on you... but if the words you claim to be your true intentions end up being false, I'll spare you no mercy... You wi-"</p>
      <p>Haru: "look Rem, it seems like there's something else going on that I'm not aware of... but if you don't care about if the villagers are alive tomorrow, then I'll send you back and you'll live the rest of your life with guilt. life will go on without them and they're going to enter their next life questioning what went wrong." he interrupted,</p>
      <p>
        <em>'and Mercy? I don't even believe in that bullshit...'</em>
      </p>
      <p>She brought out her Morning Star, a spiked ball attached to chains, a weapon brought up in the novels. He easily recognized this and the damage it could deal if he weren't careful. He was acting clueless about such a serious matter, it infuriated her. Her last straw has been pulled and she was ready to attack him at any moment if he got any of her questions wrong,</p>
      <p>Rem: " then answer me, why go so far? why do you care about this village so much? you're planning something, aren't you? everything about you has been so fishy and I can't believe Roswaal-Sama actually allowed you to live at the mansion!" she exclaimed, raising her morningstar in the air,</p>
      <p>Her aura had become menacing and the air around her had gone cold. All of her built-up anger was ready to be released at any moment, if he moves an inch she'd tear his arms off.</p>
      <p>Rem: "go on! tell me, you witch cultist! you're planning something, aren't you...!? I can't even stand being near you any longer, so tell me!" she shouts,</p>
      <p>Surprised by the maid's sudden outburst, he tried to calm things down,</p>
      <p>Haru: "Rem...  I know I was harsh but... that's too much." he mutters,</p>
      <p>Rem: "answer me!" she raised her voice,</p>
      <p>Haru: "ah...you want my answer so bad?! my hometown dealt with something similar and I have no clue what happened to them! If you think I'd just stand by and let this slaughter happen... no- if you hate me so much then be my guest and kill me! " he shouted back,</p>
      <p>The maid was speechless, she tried to voice out her doubts but her own throat stopped her from speaking a word. With this, he continued</p>
      <p>Haru: "these kids have dreams... Rem, you can't just take away a kid's dreams like that. There's so much life ahead of them that they still need to experience... take away that then what do they have left?" he added,</p>
      <p>Just like that, her doubts disappeared. She slowly lowered her Morningstar, her eyes focused on him and only him. "your... kingdom was attacked...?" she repeated his line,</p>
      <p>Nodding his head to her question, her suspicions of him were getting debunked. The young knight noticed the amount of time they were wasting and went further into the forest, "sorry... but we gotta go Rem, let's at least pretend we're on good terms for now..." he says,</p>
      <p>She watched as the white-haired young man walked in front of her, his weapon in hand prepared to take on any beasts that might attack them. He kept an eye on his surroundings, his steps were light and quiet. Unnecessary noise could attract the demon beasts to their location.</p>
      <p>Stopping in her tracks, the young knight turned back and faced her. "you sense anything?" he asks her</p>
      <p>Rem: "we're close... I smell something alive, ...I can't be sure, but it doesn't smell like an animal." she answered back,</p>
      <p>He took this as his signal and began sprinting, urging her to follow behind him. Playing a short game of tag as if someone behind them were chasing them, at least that was what it felt like. They didn't deny the unease they felt while running through the forest.</p>
      <p>Arriving at a clearing, they spotted grounded bodies laying on the grass. None of them moved an inch, they looked dead from a distance.</p>
      <p>Haru: "crap... it is them!" he exclaimed,</p>
      <p>Their bodies were scattered with cuts and bruises, their complexion was pale and their lips were blue and cracked. Shaking them barely made a difference as they laid there still. He dropped to the ground, putting his ear next to one of the kid's chest to listen for breathing. Switching from kid to adult until everyone was confirmed to be alive, </p>
      <p>Haru: "thank God... they're alive..." he let out a long sigh out of relief,</p>
      <p>Shifting her eyes from the forest to the bodies wasn't an easy task, "they may be breathing now, but don't celebrate yet. they're incredibly weak if left alone." she says,</p>
      <p>Haru: "I know... let's just do what we can now," he says,</p>
      <p>Even if she was still suspicious, she still had to comply. She took a seat beside the knight as they both covered and healed both the kids and adults who remained unconscious. Pulling out bandages from his own shadow as he covered the deep cuts that weren't completely healed with her healing magic,</p>
      <p> Pulling bandages out of nowhere was a shock, but what disturbed her was the fact that he seemed unbothered by what happened earlier. He treated her the same as if she were still putting up a facade, she knew that he knew that she was wary of him. The fact that he paid no mind to it annoyed her,</p>
      <p>Rem: "there... this is all I'm capable of doing. if only my sister came instead of me... she could have done a better job," she sighed as she wiped the sweat from her forehead,</p>
      <p>Their complexion became better than earlier, and their pained expressions weren't as wrinkled as before.</p>
      <p>Haru: "it's fine, this is enough. once the villagers and Otto come they could get proper help from Beatrice," he says</p>
      <p>What he thought was a finished case took a turn when he did a headcount,</p>
      <p>Haru: "Petra... Meili..." he muttered,</p>
      <p>She looked at him in confusion, until she turned and counted the bodies in her head. seven kids and nine adults were reported missing... then it hit her,</p>
      <p>Haru: "Petra and Meili... three of the a-adults aren't here either..." he says in a panicked voice,</p>
      <p>Clenching her fist out of anger at the situation, she was at a loss of what to say or do. She was puzzled. The blue-haired maid suddenly got up and walked nearer towards the next clearing. With her morningstar in hand, it was obvious what she was going to do,</p>
      <p>Haru: "where are you going, Rem?" he  says</p>
      <p>Rem: "I remembered what you said earlier... so I'm going to get them." she quickly replied,</p>
      <p>He flicked his fingers on her forehead out of pure annoyance, "weren't you going on about not being related to this village you idiot?" She stared at him in confusion at the sudden shift in tone,</p>
      <p>Haru:  let me go in first, okay? I'll find the rest who are missing and you follow me in when they come." he says</p>
      <p>Rem: "how sure are you I'm going to find you?" she answers with a question,</p>
      <p>With a sigh, he replied, "you were the one who asked the kids to take my mask, am I right? obviously, you have some sort of speculations about me." </p>
      <p>With a gasp, she shook her head in denial. "mask... I don't know what you're talking about... that isn't what happened..."</p>
      <p>Haru: "I said let's pretend to be on good terms... but spare me with the denying Rem, I knew how angry you were with me when I first came." he says,</p>
      <p>She thought she'd been doing a good job at maintaining a formal attitude in front of him, making sure to not slip up and make it obvious that she was suspicious and angry with him. But he saw right through her,</p>
      <p>Rem: "Haru-kun, how much do you know about..."</p>
      <p>Haru: "to be honest, I'm practically clueless and lost. I don't understand a lot, all I know is that the mask covers up whatever you could sense from me," he cuts in,</p>
      <p>The knight took a step forward, linking his pinky with hers as he stared into her eyes. He had such sad and lifeless eyes earlier, but when he looked at her it was filled with so much life. It was the first time she'd seen him like this,</p>
      <p>Haru: "even if you looked at me differently... no, since the day I came I've had fun just talking to everyone. our small banters with Ram-san were really fun too... so when all this is taken care of, I want to clear all your suspicions of me,"</p>
      <p>His eyes were locked on her, " you have a place in the future I'm trying to reach... I wouldn't do anything that would ever make you doubt me, so consider this as my promise to you," he says</p>
      <p>She was at a loss for words, his eyes sparkled passionately as he spoke. He was genuine, his words weren't sarcastic at all.</p>
      <p>Haru: "I trust you, Rem. I know I can be harsh and selfish sometimes... but I'd never do anything to ever betray that trust," he continued,</p>
      <p>Rem: "Haru-kun..."</p>
      <p>He saw him in a new light. was he always like this? For the first time, he didn't get on her nerves, for the first time she didn't fear for her and her sister's safety. For the first time since he arrived, she didn't need to put up a facade that she liked him,</p>
      <p>Rem: "...very well, the promise is made." she replied</p>
      <p>With their pinkies locking, their covenant was set. "you mentioned you wanted to cut my hair right? consider that too." he adds,</p>
      <p>The blue-haired maid giggled at his remark, he slowly stood up and brought out a long blue capsule that contained blue liquid. Giving it a few shakes before he handed it over to her</p>
      <p>Haru: "now take this okay? it's a healing potion, so pour it on your wound if you get hurt." he says with a smile,</p>
      <p>Rem: "will you really be okay alone for a while?" she asks, extending her hand as she accepted the potion,</p>
      <p>He took a few steps forward, planting his hand to the ground as he activates his skill. <b>Large Range Multi-Layered Barrier </b>a dome of thin barriers appeared around the unconscious bodies, they were now in protection of one of the most invincible shields anyone could cast.</p>
      <p><em>'thank God I trained this skill in Tempest... but why do I still feel tired?!'</em> he thought</p>
      <p>Haru: "you can freely walk out if you need to, I'll sense if the villagers enter too. Let's stick to the plan okay?" he says,</p>
      <p>Rem: "got it, good luck Haru-kun. I'll meet you in a while,"</p>
      <p>The two exchange their final smiles before they split up, she watched him as he disappeared into the forest. For him to change her perspective of him in just a night was a shock.</p>
      <p>She scanned the villagers again, making sure they were stable before they arrived at the mansion. she felt more at ease when she saw the change in their condition, "please take care... Haru-kun..." she muttered,</p>
      <p>Feeling a tug on her sleeve, she turned towards the young boy who slowly woke up. His grip on her sleeve remained as he tried to speak,</p>
      <p>Lucas: "R...Rem-san..." he muttered,</p>
      <p>His ender eyes were deep and out of all of the kids, he had the worst wounds of them all. She lowered her head to listen to what he had to say,</p>
      <p>Rem: "what is it? don't force yourself, just take it easy okay? Haru-kun and I are getting your other friends so don't worry." he reassured him,</p>
      <p>But his grip only got harder, the sleeve under his palm began to wrinkle as he struggled to lift up his head. Finally having the strength to speak, his words rattled her to her core.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Halibel-san is in the forest.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <b>TO BE CONTINUED</b>
      </p>
      <p>
        <b>Next Chapter: The Beasts of the Forest</b>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Beasts of the Forest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He wondered just how many beasts he'd have to encounter to get rid of the curses, as time passes he realizes that the biggest threat in the forest was his own companion. And a familiar face,</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Arc 2: Curses and Blessings</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Chapter 8: The Beasts of the Forest</b>
</p><p>The forest was a dangerous place, the sounds of leaves and twigs being crushed under their paws echoed as they crept their way towards him. The trees and bushes moving to the cold breeze. Their path lit, only by the moon. They pressed forward. Growls and howls on one target. In one swift move, they jumped. Another group of Witchfiend dogs has appeared, altogether from different directions they attacked.</p><p>Haru: "this is getting repetitive... how many are of these are there?" he sighed,</p><p>He held up his hand as threads came out of his fingertips, attaching themselves between the tree lines. Waiting for the right moment, waiting for the perfect time to straighten the loose strings. And there it was, he closed his hand. In an instant, the threads straightened and split the dogs into pieces.</p><p>Their bodies bouncing off the floor with blood spreading everywhere, the sound of their flesh-ripping wrang in his ears.</p><p>Haru: "that's o-one thing I'll never get used to... " he muttered while bringing both of his hands to his ears as he tried to yawn off the repeating noise.</p><p>
  <em>'gross... why are they so big?'</em>
</p><p>Staring at the splattered blood and meat around him, he was in a state of disgust. Their size was not at all what he imagined or recalled from the novels. They were larger than what was described to him.</p><p>But with the threat out of the way, he pressed forward. Katana in hand, his footsteps light, his breathing halted. Listening and paying attention to everything going on around him. His eyes shifting from one area to another until finally, his eyes spotted something.</p><p>A hand peeking out of the bush, pale and still. Sheathing his katana, he quickly ran towards it. Lowering his body as he scoops the body into his arms. Holding their head gently with his hand to provide at least a bit of comfort as he ran to a safer spot,</p><p>Haru: "h...hey... can you hear me?..." he muttered,</p><p>The woman didn't respond, the only sign of life coming out of her was the slow rising of her chest which indicated her breathing. Her arms and legs were scattered with cuts and bite marks, barely alive.</p><p>Haru: "this is brutal..." he says,</p><p>Finally arriving at a more lit up area, he looked back at her pained expression. Her pitiful state made him worried about the condition of the other villagers, but this wasn't the time to panic. He had to be calm,</p><p>He looked around if the others could be nearby, surely they weren't far, right? At the same time, he listened for any incoming footsteps that could attack while he was helping the woman. Assuring himself that he was safe for now, he sat down and wrapped her wounds in bandages.</p><p>Haru: "sorry... I haven't learned how to r-remove curses yet... this is all I c-can do right now, just hang on for me." he added,</p><p>He wasn't respecting a reply but the sign of relief that spread across the girl's face calmed him down a bit. "I'll take you somewhere else, for now, o-okay? some of the other villagers are still in here.." he says, with an anxious expression</p><p>He stood up and held the girl in his arms, keeping her close to his chest. He lifted two of his fingers, prepared to cast his steel threads at any moment. His eyes were wary of any possible threat that could attack them.</p><p>Haru: "sorry lady... this might be a little rough," he apologized, With that, he continued onward.</p><p>The journey deeper into the forest was quiet, too quiet. Which made the rustling in front of him make him stop in his tracks. It was too good for him not to encounter any demon beasts ever since he picker her up,</p><p>Haru: "please don't be a mabeast..." he muttered</p><p>He crouched down, his hand on the back of her head as he slowly raised his fingertips on the opposite hand. Casting <b>Unique Skill: Sticky Steel Thread </b>as the threads came out of his fingers. Prepared to attach themselves to the enemy that would greet him.</p><p>Quiet mutters, repeated over and over. The rustling never stopped. He barely understood a thing until he stood directly in front of it. The unrecognizable mutters soon made sense,</p><p>"It hurts..."</p><p>The knight stopped. He pulled back the threads and peeked in the bush. A man with his back against a tree with his legs bleeding in various areas. His eyes were teary with blood trickling down his forehead. In his arms was a young lady holding on to his shirt in pain, biting on to her own lip trying to ease the pain in her arm.</p><p>Haru: "you..." he mutters</p><p>The duo looked at him in shock, their expressions twisting into relief that help had finally arrived. They both clung on to him with the little strength that they had,</p><p>Villager: "Haru-sama... I'm so glad... I'm so glad!" the man cried out,</p><p>The knight forced to kneel by the weight of the villagers that clung to him. He cast <b>Unique Skill: Multi-Layered Barrier </b>around them as he attended to their wounds.</p><p>Though the barrier wasn't as big as it normally should be, it was enough for them to be protected for now. He gently laid the girl in his arms against a tree as he brought out another roll of bandages from his shadow. Stretching it open as he wrapped the man's legs in white cloth,</p><p>Haru: "sorry... I took so long," he apologized,</p><p>The man's face twisted in pain as he tried to silence his own groans, he managed to give the knight a pained smile. "y-you're here now... it's a-all good Haru-sama," the man stuttered,</p><p>Giving him a reassuring smile, he neatly tied up the bandage knot and moved to his head. "you were fighting real hard weren't you... it's crazy h-how hurt you are," he says. Gently wrapping his head as the blood slowly seeped through the layers of clean cloth.</p><p>Villager: "hk, a-all that fighting... yet I couldn't g-grab Petra-chan and her f-friend in time..." he muttered, his eyes fluttering as if he was about to cry.</p><p>"t-this isn't y-you're fault...! b-blame the beast that took t-them in the first place... " the young lady cried out, her hand cupping her arm preventing the blood from spilling out.</p><p>He quickly finished off his knot and turned to her. Repeating the process as he cleaned off her wounds. "sorry..." he apologized,</p><p>Villager: "don't apologize Haru-sama... just.. promise me you'll r-rescue them, o-okay...?" she muttered,</p><p>He looked at the woman who had light in her eyes, just looking at her gave him a bit of strength. "I will, I promise you I will." he replies,</p><p>"w-what about the rest... did they make it back to t-the village? they were pretty banged up too..." the man mutters,</p><p>Haru: "ah, yeah... don't worry, the others are safe, I'll be sending you to t-the mansion so just h-hold on, someone can help you there," he explains</p><p>The two didn't question him, as relieved smiles stretched on their faces. They were finally able to relax, even bringing the other unconscious girl in for a hug as they held each other close. All of their faith and trust was put on him. From the stories of the kids the other day, they were partly aware of the power he possessed that allowed him to teleport.</p><p>Though their complexions were worrying, they both maintained calm about their current situation.</p><p>Haru: "I promise, I'll find both of them and we c-can all have some cool get-together when this is all over." he says, taking off his knight robe as he wrapped it around them.</p><p>"do your best Haru-sama..." the duo muttered as they watched the knight stand up and take a few steps back. "leave it to me," he says with a smile.</p><p>Slowly walking out of the barrier as the duo waved him goodbye. He prepared to send them off. But when a sudden warning hit, he brought his hand to his head and sighed, "took them long enough,"</p><p>The barrier reacted to the non-hostile humans who have just entered. Sending a reaction straight to him as he confirmed their numbers. Exactly five have entered and one left, Preparing himself for the incoming magicule drain, he takes a deep breath. Then he casts <b>Unique Skill: Spatial Travel </b>and the two summoned Barriers and all those in it sank into the ground and appeared elsewhere.</p><p>His only proof of the Skill working was the number of magicules that got taken out of him. Including the trio who had disappeared in front of him,</p><p>Haru: "I just k-know Beatrice is going to b-be mad, I can s-see her face already," he giggled</p><p>The drain was enough to make the average man pass out, he drops to the ground in a cold sweat as he tried to catch his breath,</p><p>Haru: "this is w-way more than what I p-prepared for..." he muttered</p><p>Suddenly, his ears picked up inaudible growls coming from all around him. He turned his head to see red eyes peeking out of the shadowy bushes. Snarling with bloodlust seeking to kill the white-haired knight in front of them, all at once, they attacked. "you waited for them t-to leave huh," he muttered</p><p>Haru: "shit, I'm too low on m-magicules... to be f-fighting more of you shitdogs! " he shouted</p><p>With his trembling knees, he unsheathed his katana and stood up. Taking his stance as he prepared to charge at the group of wolgarms running towards him. With a deep breath, using as little magic as possible. He spread it around his body to enhance his movements. Before Kicking off the ground as he ran towards them,</p><p>His sword strong and firm, its tip directed towards them as he swiftly cut through the demon beast's limbs and heads. Using his blade he shielded himself from the clawed attacks and the sharp teeth of the beasts that came right after him,</p><p>Using this time now to catch a breath, he jumped up. Turning his body in the opposite direction just in time to avoid the numerous beasts that charged underneath him. His body suspended mid-air as if he were standing on an invisible flooring that prevented him from falling.</p><p>He extended his hand and recalled one of the most used spells in the novel series. A spell that shot fire out of the caster's hands. Be it an inferno or a simple bullet, he could turn it into his own skill once he's understood it.</p><p>
  <em>'p-please tell me the skill can grant affinities!'</em>
</p><p>With the spell in Mind, he prepared to cast.</p><p>Haru: "<b>Ul G</b>-" his spell casting was interrupted,</p><p>A sharp pain coming from his leg made him squeal in pain. His katana flew out of his hand, stabbing the ground as it lands. As if he were pushed by an external force he crashed into a nearby tree. His head hitting it hard as his world went in circles for a few seconds. As his vision refocused he saw the force that pushed him. A large demon beast, slightly larger than the past he has fought was biting down at his leg.</p><p>Muffling his own groan as he bit on to his lip, he planted his hands on the ground and shifted his weight to kick his leg up with the beast still attached, and slammed the beast into the tree. Its mouth opened wide, releasing him from its hold. The impact rendered it dazed giving him time to reach his Katana in time.</p><p>He ran forward in a panic, the pain from his leg didn't bother him as he kicked his katana off from the ground. The group of beasts who were underneath him now surrounded him. Remembering the lessons he took about what to do when surrounded by enemies, he took a stance that allowed him to twist his body freely to cut at each demon beast that could come for him. His master taught him well.</p><p>Haru: "t-this is... exhausting," he exclaimed,</p><p>The demon beasts lowered their heads, a stance used by his wolf companion when it was about to charge at their prey. He looked at each of them in the eye, dominance was one of the ways he could get rid of an entire group that circled him.</p><p>Clicking his tongue, his body tensed up as he activated <b>Coercion</b>. The air around him tensed up and became cold. Slowly the demon beasts gave in. They each lowered their heads, giving him the opening to kill them one by one.</p><p>He took this chance and ran forward, tilting his katana at a degree that would cleanly give a finishing blow to the beast without having to bring it back up for another slash. The beasts died without even having to put up a fight.</p><p>Panting, he wiped the sprayed blood from his forehead and turned towards the once grounded beast.</p><p>Haru: "crap... you're up already?" he exclaimed,</p><p>The beast growled at him and ran forward. Before his katana's tip could reach the beast, a spiked ball came and smashed it to pieces. It's head exploding everywhere as he watched the ball return to the shadow from where it came. Then emerged his companion,</p><p>Rem: "T-They all got teleported back. Thank you for buying time!" she exclaimed</p><p>Running towards him with a relieved expression, they had finally reunited. They both stared at each other in shock,</p><p>Haru: "Rem!" he exclaimed, glad to see her finally come</p><p>Finally catching up to him, she brought her hands to his face. Stretching his cheeks and pinching his ears just to get a reaction out of him. "what's w-with you... are you okay? Rem-san?" he asked her,</p><p>Rem: "there were no witchfiends on my way here, b-but you shouldn't be worried about that! how about your leg? did you see anyone else in the forest that could be assisting th-"</p><p>Her worried shout came to a halt as the group of wolgarms charged from behind her, racing at high speeds just to get a bite of the unscathed maid. Noticing this, he grabbed her head and brought her closer to his chest. Though confused, her body barely put up a fight against him.</p><p>He quickly pushed her out of the way as he attacked the wolgarms behind her. The two exchanged a brief look before he jumps into action.</p><p>Her eyes were unable to keep up with all the things going on around her. She could only watch as he threw his katana toward the beast as it pierced through its mouth. Before he suddenly stepped forward and disappeared into the ground.</p><p>Rem: "H...Haru," she muttered, confused at what just happened. Everything was a blur,</p><p>Suddenly he came out from behind the whole pack, his back turned toward them as he arched in their direction. Doing a flip in mid-air, he extended his arms backward in an uncomfortable position as thin threads suddenly came out.</p><p>Making their way towards the beast, they all get engulfed in a thin white layer of threads.</p><p>Haru: "watch me, Rem." he muttered,</p><p>He pulled his arms back and the threads sliced through the wolgarms. Shooting blood everywhere in a crimson red explosion. Scattering around the forest as he landed back on the ground safely,</p><p>Haru: "I p-promised Ram I'd protect you u-until we get back, I'll watch you and you watch me. let's help each other!" he exclaimed</p><p>She looked at him and shook her head, "right... forgive me for not paying attention!" she shouts,</p><p>Still shocked over what happened, he looked at the dead bodies of beasts in front of them. A slaughter of demon beasts, with him, this almost reckless and dangerous act felt like a simple task.</p><p>Haru: "ahh crap... I put up such a show and w-wasted so much m...mana," he muttered as he rocked back and forth towards his katana, pulling it out of the beast as he rubbed the blood off using his pants.</p><p>Rem: "yeah... that was quite a show Haru-kun, a great one," she laughed,</p><p>He did admit he went over the top with the flips and tricks, but one thing gained from this was the assurance that they were under the protection of one another.</p><hr/><p>In the Forest where Demon Beasts lurked, their numbers were enough to overwhelm them. Their size was big enough to bite off each of their limbs and tear them apart. They were feared enough that protective barriers had to be installed just to keep them away.</p><p>But for the first time in a long time, they were being slaughtered with relative ease. Each and every beast that emerged from the shadows got sliced into pieces or smashed to bits. Even the slightly larger ones that dominated the rest, were killed. A pile of dead, chopped up monster meat yet the shaman that cursed the villagers was nowhere to be seen.</p><p>The tides turned where they had to switch from both offense and defense since they lacked the mana and physical strength to continue. Running back to the village barrier would be risky, they'd be leaving behind two young girls who were still missing, and they would soon die of weakness due to the wolgarm's curses. Exhaustion would never be avoided, there were more dogs than expected.</p><p>Haru: "Rem! just run!" he exclaimed,</p><p>The two were covered in red, from both their wounds and the beasts they've just killed. Accumulating a number of injuries that would be life-threatening to anyone else. Just barely closing it off with a drop of the healing potion, Too bad it didn't replenish mana,</p><p>Haru: "Hey! Rem!" he shouted once more,</p><p>The maid didn't pay attention, she was so focused on killing that even he got scared for his own safety. Pulling back her Morningstar as he smashed the dogs from behind them, with every beast that dropped dead, another would appear. Their numbers were questionable, it was like an avalanche of beasts chased after them,</p><p>Haru: "y-you moron!" he exclaimed,</p><p>He dashed towards her and pushed her away from the incoming avalanche by a hair strand. Receiving the attack instead, he gets thrown to the other side of the forest. Rolling over, his body getting scrapes from the pebbles on the ground before coming to a full stop. With his head smashing into a rock, causing his head to spurt out blood.</p><p>As he questioned how many more times he was going to hit his head, he shook himself awake.</p><p>Haru: "augh..." he groaned,</p><p>Exactly after finding the two missing kids and sending them away to the mansion through <b>Spatial Travel</b>, every beast in the area went for them. Even after fighting hard just to get to the unconscious girls, the fight wasn't over. Overusing and combining two Unique Skills that were already hard to pull off thrice nearly knocked him out. But their safety was the number one priority right now.</p><p>As he shook his head to get rid of the dizziness, his eyes landed on Rem. Her head tilting back with her eyes closed, standing up in the middle of the whole mess. The chaos around her didn't bother her. He simply watched her as his eyes widened in surprise,</p><p>Haru: "R...em,"</p><p>Slowly, she looked back at him. The two met eyes, staring into each other like they were the only ones there. Suddenly a horn appeared on her forehead, evolving into something he was all too familiar with. She started to giggle until she bursts out laughing. Stumbling over her own feet as she took a few steps forward.</p><p>"witchfiend..." she muttered, her eyes downcast.</p><p>Haru: "c-crap... why now?" he wondered,</p><p>Her head then shot up as she glared at the beasts in front of them, her grip on her Morningstar tightened. With that, she broke into a run towards them.</p><p>Rem: "witchfiend!... witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend! witchfiend!" she repeatedly yelled,</p><p>A grim reminder that he'd been living with twins who could easily turn into a beast at will. The light in her eyes disappeared completely,</p><p>Haru: "fuck..." he cursed,</p><p>She threw the spiked ball towards the demon beasts. Smashing them all flat as she swiftly killed the dogs. He could only watch as she loses herself to a maniacal demon. Killing them all one by one, leaving no space for error.</p><p>Rem: "witchfiend!" she exclaimed,</p><p>As another group surrounded her, she killed them with ease. He watched her in awe at how strong she was. Who would have known such a small body contained such monstrous strength?</p><p>He thought of more positive things about the Oni in front of him to the point where he completely forgot about his own situation. He looked around and saw a couple of demon beasts surrounding him as well.</p><p>Haru: "d-damn it...!" he muttered,</p><p>He forced himself up as he prepared to fight the dogs coming to him. Pulling his katana up as he cut through the first dog, splitting its head in half, still connected to the rest of its body as it tried to stumble away.</p><p>He turned his head and attacked another, turning his wrist so his katana would be on its flat side. Using the adrenaline surging through his body, he ran towards the dog. With just enough speed and strength he dodged the bite and sliced through the dog.</p><p>Ripping the dog open from in between its top jaw to its bottom jaw. He continued pushing his arm and sword deeper into the beast as the blade made its way out of the Demon Beast in a straight line.</p><p>Haru: "t-that's disgusting..." he gagged,</p><p>The sight wasn't as clean or pretty as he expected it to. As much as he wanted to gag, he shook away this feeling and turned to his blue-haired companion who just about finished killing the group that ran to her.</p><p>Standing with her back turned towards him, she stood completely still. "Rem?" he muttered.</p><p>The maid turned her body and threw her Morning star at him. His eyes followed the ball as if it were in slow motion, but his body barely moved in time to react to the sudden attack, he would have come out unscathed. Only managing to move just enough for the ball not to completely smash his left shoulder and arm.</p><p>As he felt the pain of the spikes on his left shoulder, his katana flying out of hand as he jumped back and cupped his wound with his palm. Keeping his gaze on the blue-haired maid who was obviously intent on killing him,</p><p>Haru: "Rem... stop, snap out of it!" he shouted,</p><p>The maid pressed forward, paying no mind to his plead for her to stop. She was barely in control of her own body, step by step she inched her way towards the fallen knight. His arm was numb and the amount of blood he was losing was worrying.</p><p>Haru: "tsk... Rem! wake the fuck up!" he exclaimed while looking around for his katana.</p><p>As another spiked ball was thrown at him, he rolled over towards the katana to dodge the attack. Holding it and pointing it towards her, though hesitant he could only hope that the situation wouldn't worsen.</p><p>Haru: "wake up, Rem!" he shouted,</p><p><em>'this isn't good... why is she attacking me?'</em> he thought, Slowly creating more distance between them. He watched her every move as he maintained eye contact with the blue-haired maid.</p><p>Waiting for her next attack, a loud howl came from the depths of the forest. The two turned their heads toward the source in surprise, only for the maid to run towards the sound. Disappearing into the deep greens of the forest once more.</p><p>Haru: "complete idiot... this is how people die in novels!" he remarked,</p><p>He forced himself up as he ran to follow her. Using the sounds of the howls of the beast as his guide to where Rem could be heading. He ran as fast as his legs could handle at the time, so he reached for his used potion and poured the remaining half on his body.</p><p>The numbness in his shoulder returned and his headache slowly went away. He jumped up in his run and sprinted faster. Passing by the dead bodies of demon beasts as he slowly arrived at a cliff. His eyes widened, hoping that the blue-haired maid didn't jump off. Anything but that, the fall was deadly.</p><p>Haru: "Rem..." he muttered,</p><p>Gulping down his worries, he was relieved to see the maid safe and sound on the ground. A weapon in hand still tapped into her oni form she killed off the demon beasts surrounding her. Laughing maniacally in a frenzy, she was the beast of the forest itself.</p><p>The young knight took a few steps back, preparing to jump down the cliff to support the maid in her endless slaughter. Until a voice called out to him,</p><p>"you shouldn't think about going down there, Ru-san." the man said,</p><p>His eyes widened, he felt shivers down his spine. "h..huh?" he muttered. He turned his body and met eyes with the Wolf-Human who towered over him. In all black clothing wielding a kunai in his hands. A desperate look in his eyes as the two stared at each other,</p><p>Haru: "Halibel-san... are you..." he says, feeling his throat close up.</p><p>Halibel: "ah... I knew you were skeptical of me from the start, but it still pains me to see your reaction." he replied while taking a step forward.</p><p>Haru: "then would you mind explaining then? you're working with the Shaman aren't yo-"</p><p>The Wolf-Human sprung into action and threw his kunai, the sharp blade cutting his mildly wounded arm. Before he could move to attack the man, Halibel charged towards him and kicked him towards a tree.</p><p>Feeling his chest almost crack at the intensity of the simple kick, bile mixed with blood sprayed out of his mouth. By instinct, he sank into the ground and disappeared.</p><p>Halibel looked around for where he could have gone before he noticed the thin nearly invisible strings come towards him. Before it was quickly cut off with his kunai at immense speed.</p><p>Halibel: "come on, Ru-san. Don't make this any harder for me..." the man replied,</p><p>Blocking the blade that came directly for his throat, the two met eyes. Before engaging in a short-distance battle,</p><p>Haru: "I should be saying that to you... you'd definitely give me an easier time asshole!" he exclaimed,</p><p>With precise and accurate form, he slashed at his neck. Only for it to be blocked with the kunai. He threw his leg in for a kick, only for it to be stopped by his hand. He even tried to summon the fiery flames of Hell to the forest using a magic circle. Just to be stopped when he gets thrown closer off of the cliff.</p><p>Halibel: "I'm on strict orders to give you a hard time. And I must say, your future is nothing more than terrible. I will determine your fate tonight, I'll even admit that it's far more humane than what you will go through." the man adds,</p><p>His body aching in various areas, he's never felt this much pain since he first woke up in the reincarnated world. With barely any strength, he stumbled over himself as he used his arms as support to stand. Glaring at the man in front of him, he broke into a giggle.</p><p>Haru: "ah crap, I'm never getting a break aren't I?" he laughed,</p><p>Halibel: "sadly... with him around, it'd be painful to imagine a peaceful time." he muttered,</p><p>The young knight extended his fingers as his katana appeared below him. The Wolf-Human was even surprised at the unique power he had. "too bad, I know what my future holds. And I'll know whatever bullshit that man will pull off, I'll know his name soon too." he remarked.</p><p>Halibel: "but you didn't expect me to come for you, right?" he says,</p><p>His eyes widened at his words, <em>'w-what the hell.'</em> The two continued to glare at each other as the knight took a few steps back. "ah... exactly, you and everyone else so far can't be trusted. I'm just making the most with what I have and who I'm with," he says</p><p>As pebbles from under his shoe fell to the bottom of the cliff, he thought of a plan.</p><p>Halibel: "you're quite an incredible liar and manipulator then. Your future will always be uncertain! Remember that Ru-san!" he shouts,</p><p>As he took a step forward to attack the knight. He gets flung back by an invisible force that stopped him from getting closer, he touched the field with his furry hand as he tried to wrap his head around what it was. "you can't get out of there so don't even bother."</p><p>Haru: "I don't know who your boss is yet, and I couldn't care less what he wants with me. I want one thing and nothing more. I'm going home. And if you're in my way, I'll kill you. " he adds, his eyes turning into a deeper shade of grey as his monster aura leaks out.</p><p>Halibel: "It looks like you're going to die before you reach that dream of yours. You lose, " He says a satisfied expression stretched on his face as he smirked.</p><p>Haru: "huh?" the knight muttered. He looked down and was shocked at the kunai lodged into his stomach, blood spilled out of his gut as he took a few steps back. He cupped the wound with his hand and blood came out from the corners of his mouth.</p><p>
  <em>'ah, shit... I totally missed that,'</em>
</p><p>His eyes focused on Halibel who was still trapped in the barrier. "no... I still win," he muttered.</p><p>At the same time he tilted his head to fall, he teleported the helpless yet powerful enemy away. Using up the remaining magicules he had as he fell headfirst towards the cold ground where beasts lurked. Blood leaving a trail in the cold night sky as he slowly lost his consciousness.</p><p>
  <em>'...this would have been such a cool way to go.'</em>
</p><p>Thinking of dying from jumping off a high place must feel amazing, he thought. The feeling of the cold air against your face and skin as you fall, thinking about the painful and beautiful things life had to offer. Before going into an eternal slumber, your soul would be at peace at last.</p><p>Haru: "too bad..." he muttered,</p><p>He wasn't going to die in a place like this, as he fell, he grasped on the kunai tightly before he yanked it out. Squealing in pain as he held on to it tightly.</p><p>He tilted his head and scanned the ground for a blue-haired oni. As soon as he spotted her familiar hair, he shouted. " hey oni! keep it together! don't look at me like I'm an enemy, you know me! and you're never going to forget who I am! Now wake up and let's deal with this together Rem!"</p><p>As his words entered her ears, she began to run out of instinct to catch the falling knight. Spreading her arms open with the intent to save him. "sorry for this." he muttered,</p><p>A swift thin blade cut through the air. Along came the sound of their body dropping to the ground as he pulled her in for a hug. Her unconscious body laying on his chest as he combed through her hair. "o-ow... she didn't c-cushion the fall at all..."</p><p> </p><hr/><p>Stuck in a terrible dream of the past, a story that not everyone was aware of. The story of the destruction of her village and the origin of her hate for those who destroyed it. Her life was never the same after, the fiery flames that scorched her family was forever burned in her head.</p><p>As the endless guilt of the incident continued to dwell within her, she hid it behind baseless reasoning. Using that as an excuse for all of the things she's done, she was nothing more than an idiot.</p><p>Haru: "you must be thinking about it... huh, Rem?" he says,</p><p>As the sounds of leaves crunching and continuous panting flooded her ears. She slowly opened her eyes to see white strands of hair blocking her view. Nuzzling her nose against it to push it away, she only managed to mutter two words. "Haru-kun... what?"</p><p>Her voice still weak and frail, completely confused at what was happening.</p><p>Haru: "you're awake? I'm glad.." he sighed in relief,</p><p>Her eyes widened as she questioned what was going on. "w-why... why didn't you leave me alone?" she wondered,</p><p>He couldn't offer her any response. Instead, he fixed his hold on her to make sure she was secure. With no strength left in her body, she rested her chin on his shoulder. Biting on her own lip to not let any of her cries escape, but soon enough her burden would be too heavy.</p><p>Rem: "for you to s-stop me makes everything pointless... p-put me down! no one else n-needs to get hurt anymore!" she exclaimed,</p><p>She continued to sob into his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck as the two walked through the forest. Their final task left unfinished as the Wolgarm Pup disappeared as soon as he arrived to rescue her.</p><p>Haru: "sorry... I had to get you out, I was in terrible shape myself," he muttered,</p><p>He stopped in his tracks as soon as he heard the familiar growl, taking cover behind a large rock that blended in with the surrounding trees was the quickest thing he could think of. Mana was already out of the question, "it's... it's all my fault, I'm sorry..." she weeps, before gently being laid down against the rock as the two take cover.</p><p>Haru: "there are things that just can't be avoided... don't blame yourself for this," he muttered,</p><p>Rem: "then who else is to blame?! no one else has to get hurt... I j-just have to take responsibility! I-If I don't... how am I supposed to live up to her? I haven't c-changed in the slightest... I committed the exact s-same sin as I did back then!" she exclaimed,</p><p>Her hair covering her eyes as tears dropped to the floor, her shoulders shaking in anger. "rem..." he calls out to her,</p><p>Rem: "a-and... I even hurt you... I nearly k-killed you, even a-after we promised each other we'd talk I put you in s-so much danger!" she cried out,</p><p>Covering her face with her palms as she cried into her hands. Her breathing uneven as she tried to calm herself,</p><p>Haru: "Rem... look at me,"</p><p>Hesitant at first, she looked up at him. He extended his hand and wiped the tears off her cheek gently, his soft touch was enough for her to catch a breath.</p><p>Haru: "idiot."</p><p>With a flick of a finger, her head gets tossed back. In a confused state, she rubbed her forehead with her fingers as she looked to him for answers.</p><p>Haru: "you're such an idiot... is that really how you see yourself?" he says,</p><p>His words confused her more, "what..." she mutters,</p><p>Rem: "I-I do realize that I'm a p-powerless... and incompetent demon clan reject... and that no matter what I do I'll never be able to match my sister..." she cried out,</p><p>Continually degrading herself to become less than what she actually is. It's the same as what happened in the novels, though it looked and sounded depressing this was her character development Arc.</p><p><em>'this hurts more to hear than to read...' </em>he thought, feeling his heart shatter at her words. As if it weren't enough, she continued.</p><p>Rem: "I'm merely her replacement... that's all I am. I've always been inferior and good for nothing... so why? why was I the one to keep my horn? why couldn't nee-sama have kept hers instead?"</p><p>Haru: "Rem..."</p><p>Rem: "Why was s-she only born with one horn? Why did... why did we have to be twins?" she sobbed,</p><p>Turning her head from the young knight who looked at her in pity, she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "sorry... please forget that I said that,"</p><p>Lifting her chin up with his finger, he clicked his tongue. "Rem-san, stop putting your sister on a pedestal. It seems like you had it rough back in the day, but you don't need to be Ram's replacement. You two are different people am I right?" he says,</p><p>Rem: "w-we are... but that isn't it!"</p><p>Haru: "Rem. reverse the roles and I doubt she'd do any better." he cuts in, she stared at him in surprise as the two went into a short heated argument.</p><p>Rem: "you're wrong! nee-sama's true self is more... i-if she had her horn, you wouldn't say that!" she shouts,</p><p>Haru: "but she doesn't have her horn, right? accept it or not that fact is never going to change. Even if you're the only one who has their horn left... you shouldn't push yourself too hard. All in the name of being your sister's replacement? bullshit, it pains everyone to see you be this way." he says,</p><p>Turning her gaze away from him was the only thing she could do, "hng..." she choked, trying to keep in her cries.</p><p>Haru: "Rem, you and Ram-san are sisters. It's normal for you to worry about one another, so be there for each other! help each other, work together! but even if you two are twins, you have your differences. You can grow individually and be Rem, and you can spend time with your sister and complete your twin bond. If you're gone, who else is going to fill in that position?" he says,</p><p>Her head shot up with his words, as the two looked at each other with tears flowing out of the corners of her eyes. He held out his hand and pulled her in for a hug. With a gasp, she held on to his uniform and sobbed.</p><p>Haru: " Remember, you aren't Ram's replacement. You're Rem who just so happened to share a horn with your sister. You two need each other, lean on her if things get too heavy and you two can deal with it together. If the load is still too much... then lean on me. How about it?"</p><p>Nuzzling her face against his chest as she giggled, "I'm very weak... s-so I'm sure I'll end up leaning on you..." she says,</p><p>As he ran his fingers through her hair, he broke into a giggle himself. "there's nothing wrong with that, I'm glad you will. Tomorrow, when all of this is over. Make up the time you lost trying to be her replacement and start spending more time with her, okay?"</p><p>Rem: "when you phrase it l-like that... how can I say no? I promise," she says,</p><p>As the two pull out of the emotional hug, the growls got louder. The two looked to one another and nodded their heads,</p><p>Haru: "can you stand?" he asked,</p><p>Forcing herself to get up, using her legs to support her body as she tried to stand. Only for it to fail as she fell back down, "I c-cant.." she muttered,</p><p>Haru: "I thought so.."</p><p>He kneeled in front of her and pulled out the blue glowing potion hanging out of her pocket. "I knew you wouldn't use it," he says,</p><p>He opened the cap and spilled the fluid over her as her body glows in color. Her wounds closed up and she finally had the strength in her legs return. In a shock, she stood up and looked at him in surprise. "that's amazing... but what about you?" she says,</p><p>Haru: "ah don't worry, I'm saving it for later." he replied,</p><p>The two then came out of hiding and confronted the rustling, in front of them stood the Witchfiend Pup in true beast form. As the other Demon Beasts stood by its side preparing to attack. With their weapons in hand, the two waited for the first attack,</p><p>Rem: "is that the demon pup?" she asked,</p><p>Haru: "yeah. I have your back, let's do this together and kill it!" he exclaimed as he pointed his katana at the beast,</p><p>Rem: "yes! Let's do it!" she shouted back,</p><p>With that, the wolgarms who stood by the pup's side charged. The first counter-attack started with a kunai being thrown at one of the demon beasts, killing it instantly. As the two dashed forward, they sliced and smashed through the beast with ease. Exchanging each other a smile of reassurance as they pressed for the alpha.</p><p>They looked to one another as if sharing a plan. The two understood right away as they both broke out separately, with Rem taking the left side and the young knight taking the right.</p><p>He held out his hand and lowered his body. Running directly towards the fallen Wolgarm who died to the kunai he threw. Using his new battle experience and knowledge, he used his new skill.</p><p>
  <b>Unique Skill: Drain</b>
</p><p>The remaining Magicules residing in the demon beast instantly gets sucked away. Energizing his body as he started to run faster, this skill was most likely the most useful one he's acquired.</p><p>
  <em>'aah! Thank God this beast drained me by the cliff! without that, I never would have learned this!'</em>
</p><p>As he turned his body, he opened his hand once more and summoned the thin threads once more to trap the Wolgarm in place,</p><p>Haru: "Now Rem!" he shouts,</p><p>She turned her body and jumped up, throwing her Morningstar toward the Beast's torso. Shouting with all her might as the final hit was about to be released. The young knight sank into the ground and ascended behind the beast. His katana tilted at an angle that could easily decapitate the dog with a swift move.</p><p>"This is the end, Wolgarm!" the two shouted,</p><p>As the two attacked together, the sound of her chains and the sound of his katana cutting through both the air and its skin echoed throughout the forest. As the two landed, so did the monster's head. Rolling on the ground as blood spread everywhere.</p><p>The two panted, taking deep breathes just to relax. "hey..." he muttered,</p><p>Rem: "we did it!" she exclaimed,</p><p>The two ran to one another as she grabbed him by his hands. "Haru-kun that was amazing!" she shouts as she swung him around.</p><p>Haru: "w-wait I'm getting dizzy!" he exclaimed,</p><p>With a triumphant expression on their face, the two laughed off their exhaustion and teleported back to the village. He pulled out a Healing Potion and spilled it over his body. Closing all the abrasions and wounds he accumulated, leaving only smears of blood on his uniform that would go away with a quick wash.</p><p>Soon enough, they were both confronted by the villagers who waited for their arrival. As the sounds of cries filled their ears, the two exchanged a smile and a thumbs up. The threat was eliminated.</p><p>Accomplishing the biggest task of this Arc was over, he no longer had to worry about any curse that would kill him or any enemy that would potentially disturb them. It was a smooth ride for at least a month before all the big events would take place.</p><p>So, he finished his last rounds around the village and fixed the broken barrier by copying the magic used in making several other working barriers scattered around the village. Soon enough, the carriages used by the villagers arrived. Who would have known they'd finish the treatment this quick?</p><p>Otto: "Haru-san! I'm glad you're okay!" he exclaimed,</p><p>He ran towards the seemingly injured knight and pulled him by the collar, "t-that teleporting thing was s-scary!" he shouts,</p><p>Haru: "a-ah Otto... you came back?" he asked,</p><p>With a sigh, he crossed his arms. "of course I did... I wasn't just going to lay around by the mansion and wait for you to return... I rushed back here as fast as I could.."</p><p>Rem: "Otto-kun... was it? how are the villagers?" she asked in concern,</p><p>As the anxious expression on his face shifted into one of relief, he gave them both a smile. "they're safe, thanks to you two. Ram-san and Emilia-sama took care of their injuries and curses too I believe," he says,</p><p>The knight tilted his head at the merchant's words, "... did anyone else help?" he asked,</p><p>Otto: "now that I think about it...  someone else was there but... I haven't really met her yet,"</p><p><em>'it must be Beatrice, I really owe her for this.'</em> he thought,</p><p>The parents, the village elders, and the adults who came along to the mansion exchanged their gratitude towards the two heroes. Even if they accepted it humbly, all their work was credited toward the princess who healed the majority of their injuries.</p><p>Though surprised, they were thankful for her hard work behind the scenes. Soon enough, they'd support her in her dream of becoming the ruler of the Kingdom.</p><hr/><p>Rem: "Haru-kun..." she muttered,</p><p>The carriage was oddly quiet, the two were given a ride home by Otto who controlled the reigns. It was a dark and cold night, and they were both exhausted. With the lingering thought that he almost got killed by a skilled Wolf-Human assassin and that he had to report to the Station the next day, he barely has any time to rest.</p><p>"hm?" he hummed in reply, his body not moving an inch. Still in his position when he first entered the carriage,</p><p>Rem: "are you okay? y-your sleeve is drenched in blood...!" she exclaimed, her tone shifting mid-sentence.</p><p>Their eyes shifted towards his arm drenched in red liquid. Though barely visible through the black uniform, its difference in color gave it away. He was confused, he just healed himself earlier and made sure he had no wounds before coming to the carriage. He swore he didn't notice that much blood on it earlier, did he miss a spot?</p><p>Haru: "oh... this must have been from earlier, it's nothing." he says,</p><p>He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "w-what were you saying earlier?" he muttered,</p><p>She looked at him and took a deep breath. "I just wanna say... thank you," With light shining in her eyes, she looked at him with a gentle gaze. He turned his head and met eyes with her before giggling, "you're welcome, Rem-san."</p><p>Haru: "and, let's stick to our promises okay? I look forward to getting to know you more." he smiled,</p><p>The two exchanged smiles and time came when they finally arrived at the mansion. Instead of letting the gray-haired merchant drive back to the village alone. He was greeted with a cold invitation from the Mansion's head maid who waited for their return.</p><p>Ram: " Thank goodness, you made it back!" she exclaimed,</p><p>As she was taking the first step down the carriage, she was quickly tackled down by a worried pink-haired maid. Giving her sister a tight hug to welcome her home, she was finally at ease.</p><p>Rem: "nee-sama... I'm home, I'm s-sorry for worrying you" she cried out, giving her sister a hug back.</p><p>The two young men stepped out of the carriage and watched the two sisters reunite. The sweet heartwarming sight made the young knight feel a warmth in his chest. "jeez... this didn't happen in the book," he sighed,</p><p>Otto: "I thought you couldn't read?" he but in,</p><p>At the same time, he silenced the merchant. The two sisters had already gotten up and walked towards them,</p><p>Ram: "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear what he said, but Bakaharu... you saved the villagers and even eliminated the threat... you even took care of my sweet sister, You aren't that bad after all." she bowed,</p><p>A shocking action especially coming from such a cold character, he couldn't ask for a more sincere greeting coming from her. Even if it didn't sound as impactful, he took this to heart.</p><p>Haru: "I promised you I'd t-take care of her," he smiled,</p><p>Ram: "Actually, Bakaharu you're leg is still bleeding. How careless, didn't you even bother to clean yourself up before coming back home?" she clicked her tongue,</p><p>He looked down and raised his eyebrows, "aren't you supposed to o-offer to treat it... I'll get cleaned up then." he replied. With a scoff coming from the eldest sister they all went inside the mansion.</p><p>Ram: "I'll have to alert Roswaal-sama about his stay in the morning, but I won't respect him so easily. He's freeloading," she adds,</p><p>Otto: "Ram-san i-isn't that a bit much?!" he cried out,</p><p>The group brushed off the friendly banter and made it in. A medicine kit already laid out on the table as he walked into the lobby,</p><p>Ram: "since you brought it up earlier, I must say I was going to treat your wounds. Come here Bakaharu, I'll clean up your mess and you can go to your room. good work today," she ushered him towards the table,</p><p>Haru: "n-no... it's okay, I have my own bandages in my room. I'll go ahead," he says as he walked in a different direction,</p><p>With worried eyes following him as he walked up the stairs, he suddenly stopped in his tracks at her question. " are you sure you're okay, Haru-kun?" she asked him,</p><p>With an awkward pause in between, he finally answered. "sorry, I reek of blood so I'm gonna take a shower." he answered back. He gave the trio a bow before continuing up the stairs,</p><p>Haru: "actually, let's call it a night... sorry, I feel really exhausted right now. I have to report to the station tomorrow too so I might get up early, don't be alarmed. "</p><p>Giving them no time to answer back, he left for his room.<em>" too bad... Emilia-sama isn't awake anymore, must have drained herself from using magic,"</em> he thought.</p><p>Haru: "I'll just visit Beatrice tomorrow," he says as he shuts the door.</p><p>He quickly ran to the mirror and took off his uniform. "it's not as bad as I thought it would be..." he sighed in relief,</p><p>He did expect some wounds to not completely close with the potion and he was right. But it was nothing to worry about. He took off the blood coated bandages that never left his arms as he walked to his personal comfort room to clean himself up.</p><p>As he let the refreshing water run through his skin, he began to notice the never-ending stream of blood that ran down his body. Finding its source as he searched his arms and legs for a cut that didn't completely heal.</p><p>Haru: "Rimuru-sama's potion always worked, and this is just a percent lower than what he usually gives in battle... why isn't it completely working now?" he wondered,</p><p>He wiped off the excess blood and water with a towel and wrapped his limbs with bandages. It was a regular thing to do for him, and the others thought nothing bad of it. "I still need to claim my other uniforms tomorrow... jeez, please don't leak through the bandages and stain my last pair," he says as he finished off the last knot.</p><p>He topped off his bandages with a new shirt and pants he bought the day earlier and sat on the edge of his bed. For some reason, it hadn't occurred to him that the task was finished. He couldn't believe he actually did it. Though it went more off route than what he was informed of, he managed to successfully pull off the second arc while achieving the same results.</p><p>Haru: "Halibel-san..." he says,</p><p>He did admire his skill and mastery as a shinobi, but things just wouldn't add up. Who exactly was he? and Why was he trying to kill him? As he thought back to the conversation they had before the battle, he was left with unanswered questions.</p><p>If the events wouldn't play out the same as in the novels, then he'd have to keep taking risks and hope for the best.</p><p><em>'if he weren't so bad... no, If I didn't follow the route I would have loved to train with him, but did he have to use such a small kunai? why wouldn't he just use a sword?' </em>he thought,</p><p>He could barely keep his eyes open anymore. As he pulled the ends of his blanket to cover his body, he flipped around the bed and laid still in the most comfortable position. Slowly, his eyes began to shut as he yawned. "tomorrow... is gonna be a long day," he says as he drifted off to sleep.</p><p>
  <b>TO BE CONTINUED</b>
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